Parterretrap

In 2024, Matthew Ferguson spoke the words “Dat verklaar en beloof ik” and became a Dutch citizen. His exhibition at Parterretrap explores what, besides legal status, is necessary and required to be part of a society, its conventions and how it is constructed.

Ferguson uses photography to examine the material and institutional structures of daily life in the Netherlands. This results in an archival series that will be on display at Parterretrap and published by Omgezet Press, a publishing house Ferguson founded specifically for this project.

Shortly after the exhibition, a copy of his publication will be submitted to The KB, National Library of the Netherlands, an organization that strives to preserve one copy of every publication published in the Netherlands as part of the national cultural heritage. Ferguson aims to ensure that his archival series officially becomes part of Dutch national history.

‘Dat verklaar en beloof ik’ in this sense can be seen as an act of active participation: it transforms the domestic space of Parterretrap into a social space focused on exchange, a space where institutional frameworks and personal reflection converge.

During Hoogtij, food is served according to a recipe from ‘Het Nieuwe Haagse Kookboek’.

Matthew Ferguson is an artist based in The Hague. He was previously based in Eindhoven, London, Norwich, Crewe, Hexham and Barrow-in-Furness.