New life for the old. Old deserted and dilapidated buildings in Curacao often have an historic meaning of invaluable worth. They represent an architectural illustration of Curacao town-life that mirrors the old architects who mastered the complete construction process.

I am a big fan of these so-called ruins. In looking at such buildings or the dilapidated state they are in I am fascinated by their past. That is why I can spend hours roaming through them and enjoy in detail how each separate part (a window, a door, a wooden ornament) is given new life by the sunlight shed on it. This while any other passerby only sees the dilapidation. They look at me strangely when I am enjoying how natural light creates new life. I regularly get invitations to come see newly built buildings that architecturally are spic and span, but which in my opinion lack history.

These deserted and dilapidated buildings in my experience form an imaginary bridge between the past and the present and in observing this they tell the story of their past glory. They used to be beautiful buildings with an historic value and they should be salvaged by a financial injection and due attention. Preserving these buildings by restoring them will contribute to a better monument list of Curacao on the Unesco world heritage list.

In my opinion the government should act more severely against the owners of these buildings and create a beneficial investment climate for those who wish to restore these buildings. It will cost the government relatively little but will yield a lot of good. When you pass such a ruin stand still for a minute and try to imagine how beautiful Curacao would look if these buildings would get the treatment they deserve. For me they already are beautiful, but after restoration they would increase the value of the island’s history.

If the selfish interest of the human being is set aside everyone can enjoy this magnificent island with pride and prosperity. “Don’t ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. I am very happy to see that parts of the island are taken hold of by private citizens and neighborhood committees and the old glory is restored.

In my experience the dilapidation of for example an old window or door or the building in itself, suggest the sea breeze, the sunlight and the past, because all these elements cause perceptible changes. The level of dilapidation per building is also remarkable. And this applies to human life as well; every age characterizes another phase and as such mirrors the being of each individual.

During my expeditions to look for deserted and dilapidated buildings that are historically important for the island and that are characteristic for their period in the history of Curacao, I always have mixed feelings. On one side I intensely enjoy the sight of a ruin with its own history, but on the other side I regret that the process of dilapidation is not immediately stopped by restoration while preserving the characteristic history. What matters is not to add years to your life but to add life to your years.

The photos taken by me do not only aim to record the historical architecture or past glory; the photographs that I take on my path are photographs with the future in sight.

God Chronos!

Gerrit Scheper