While working on this project we regularly had discussions about these shells. Are they objects or not? You can find them as showpieces in many Curaçaoan living rooms and porches. They are also used as musical instruments. On the other hand, they remain a part of nature. What do you think?

Participant Natasha is clear about it.

“My hobby of collecting objects started with sea shells in 2003. I saw there weren’t as many sea shells anymore as before I had gone to live in the Netherlands. I didn’t see the multicolored ones anymore. I thought the shells had become scarce because of pollution on the western part of the island. In the beginning I would always find the same species such as kiwa. Then I realized that certain beaches have their own types of shells. It is as if the sea spits them out for people to find them.”

“At a certain moment I found a large karkó that wasn’t bleached: a gem. I found out that karkó has 4 little brothers. I saw the first one in the garden of the famous artist Yubi Kirindongo. I borrowed his karkó, searched for another one for a year until I finally succeeded and could give him back his property. Then I learned that the three other karkó brothers are extremely rare. It took me seven years altogether to complete my collection of shells.”