Theater

Tete Nene Moyang is a remarkable group exhibition that centers on the stories of Moluccan foremothers. Artists Eva Ririhena, Tabitha Boekweit, and Tina Sopacua invite you to embark on a journey through their exploration of Moluccan cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from ancient traditions and timeless narratives. Through their art, they pay homage to the feminine lineage.

We warmly invite you to the opening on 8th December, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 AM, at Podium Mozaïek, Bos en Lommerweg 191, Amsterdam.

Tete Nene Moyang will be on view from 2nd December 2024 until 9th February 2025.

MORE ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Eva Ririhena

Eva Ririhena was born in 1986 in Boxmeer in the Netherlands. She has a Dutch mother and a Moluccan father. Since 2019 she lives in the countryside of central Portugal, off-grid. Here she can focus on her creativity and find her peace in nature, surrounded by her animals. Eva adores old photos from different cultures around the world, including her own heritage from the Moluccan Islands. The beauty of the photos and the people portrayed are always her biggest inspiration. When she works with old photos she finds there is an energetic connection and interaction with the people portrayed. It’s a spiritual process where she truly wants to work together to create a beautiful piece of art and respecting and honouring them. Eva uses analog techniques and digital techniques, sometimes combined.

Tabitha Boekweit

Tabitha Boekweit is a mixed media artist who creates paintings that speak to all the senses. Her work reflects everything she experiences, almost like a diary on canvas. Each piece is raw and expressive, showing the power of her unique style. Tabitha’s art celebrates the freedom and richness of personal expression.

Her themes are deeply personal and connected to what we all share in society—authenticity, the search for meaning, and understanding who we are. She works on large canvases, using emotions to tell a straightforward story. Her goal is to create art that makes people stop, think, and talk. By layering tension and depth into her paintings, she hopes to spark conversations that encourage people to connect with their own feelings in a new way.

Tina Sopacua

Tina (Christina/Chris...) Sopacua is a self-taught artist from Amsterdam with German/Moluccan roots. From a young age, drawing has been her passion. Her inspiration came from her father, and the memory of the scent of oil paint and turpentine from his paintings is etched in her mind.

In addition to painting with oil, she explored watercolor painting. The unpredictability of water was appealing to her, until she began using so much watercolor paint that barely any water was left in the mix. This marked the moment she decided to return to her first love: oil painting. Realistic portraits, such as The Girl with the Black Pearl, still lifes featuring spices, and traditional Moluccan events were captured on canvas... until a turning point arrived, leading her to embrace more abstraction. She began painting freely, with the purpose of having no purpose. These pieces are painted with energy drawn from vulnerability and strength, and they also radiate a great deal of energy in return.

For Tina, inspiration can be found in everything: women, the culture and nature of the Moluccan islands, the sea, a spontaneously told story, or a glance in someone’s eyes.

What she finds beautiful is the endless array of possibilities to express her vision in an authentic and uniquely personal way.

MORE ABOUT HAINUWELE

HAINUWELE Gallery & Studio derives its name from the myth of Hainuwele, an origin story from Ceram, Maluku.

'The name reflects its roots: 'Hai' means tree, and 'nuwele' means coconut.

According to the myth, Hainuwele was born from a coconut tree, bringing gold, porcelain, coral, and many other precious objects to her community. However, driven by jealousy, she was tragically murdered. Her body was buried in various places, and from those spots, coconut trees and other plants essential to Moluccan life began to grow.

As third-generation Moluccan women in Amsterdam, we feel deeply connected to the origin story of Hainuwele. Through interactive research, exchanges, programs, and exhibitions, we aim to take our place in the narrative, sharing and connecting our own stories with the world around us.

Contact us at info@hainuwele.com, or follow us on Instagram at @hainuwele.gallery.