The name Witte de With had ‘disappeared’ since the end of June, but now a new name has actually been chosen for the Rotterdam art institution. The former Witte de With will from now on be known as Kunstinstituut Melly.
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KAT, kin or Haven were on the shortlist of possible names, suggested by local, national and international participants. An external advisory committee had chosen the name KAT, but at the same time also suggested Melly as a more suitable name. In the end, the choice was made.
Melly Shum Hates Her Job
The name comes from the artwork called ‘Melly Shum Hates Her Job’, which sits permanently on the facade of the center. Melly – which hangs high above the street sign of the Witte de Withstraat – is the connection with the district for the center. “The choice of Melly promises that the institution wants to be connected and enter into a dialogue with the city”, says member of the advisory committee Yahaira Brito Morfo.
“Looking up and down at what might be missing, instead of looking straight ahead at predictable eye level,” said Clara Balaguer, member of the advisory committee. “Melly points to a shift in the eyes and ears that are at the heart of a decolonial process.”
Promise
The name change should contribute to setting an example, Melly said in a statement. “When I heard the name Melly, I thought, ‘Oh, this is it.’ The change from the old to the new name, from a colonial man with power to a woman with a working class occupation. The name is a commitment, or a promise, “says photographer Jarmal Martis.
At the end of June, the center removed the letters from the property and the institution was unnamed on social media. The institution had already decided in 2018 that the name Witte de With should disappear. De With was a vice-admiral on the Dutch naval fleet in the times of the VOC. According to Organization Helden van Nooit, the name is linked to colonial violence.
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