Everywhere you look today it seems like there is a storm of papers and forms for you to complete – you may even feel like this Surinamese ballerina dancing in a whirlwind of official documents in Leidseplein, Amsterdam.

Aside from the annoyance, sometimes it is weaponized to deny people what they deserve as appears to be the Dutch case, as reported last year by NL.com “Over 11 thousand Netherlands citizens with dual nationality were subject to stricter inspections by the Tax Authority than other Dutch people.” In other words – those who were not born there were targeted for denied opportunities.

The topic drives this new mural by JDL, who chose a ballerina because she observed how few persons of color make it into the arts as well, and she wonders about those same prejudices at work in other forms of bureaucracy.

“The Netherlands has come a long way, but there is still a lot of work to do,” she says. “This piece is a small reminder and dedication to keep dancing in bureaucracy. With awareness comes change, and by constantly addressing the issue we will collectively walk towards a brighter, more equal future.” 

This project was realized with the contributions of: Yourban2030, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Airlite, Won Yip and Humberto Tan. 

Jelisa van Schijndel (Dancer, model)