The Collateral Kin – a Wise Man’s Fear
Solo Exhibition by Raquel van Haver
Kersgallery, Amsterdam
On the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the city of Amsterdam, Raquel van Haver (born 1989, Colombia) presents a special selection from her large-scale project The Collateral Kin – a Wise Man’s Fear, originally commissioned by the Amsterdam Museum.
At Kersgallery, Van Haver showcases ten portraits taken from her monumental contemporary “civic guard” paintings — grand compositions inspired by 17th-century group portraits from Amsterdam’s Golden Age. In The Collateral Kin, these historic visual traditions are reimagined for the present, featuring those who shape the social and cultural fabric of today’s city.
The portrayed figures — both well-known and lesser-known Amsterdammers — represent a wide range of voices and generations: artists, educators, activists, community organizers, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who continue to build and protect the spirit of Amsterdam.
Van Haver notes: “These are the heirs of our city. They fight, build, and preserve its soul — heroic, determined, and compassionate.”
Alongside the portraits, Van Haver creates a site-specific mural, connecting the individual faces to the larger collective narrative of The Collateral Kin. Whereas the monumental works in the Amsterdam Museum speak of community, this intimate presentation reflects on proximity — the power of the individual within a shared history.
Through her layered painting technique, use of mixed media, and references to traditional materials and rituals, Van Haver bridges the past, present, and future. Her work functions as archive, homage, and critique — a visual reflection on how power, culture, and identity intersect within the city.
The presentation at Kersgallery offers a focused encounter with Van Haver’s ongoing research and practice, and a preview of the broader exhibition The Collateral Kin – a Wise Man’s Fear currently on view at the Amsterdam Museum.