Hidden In 17 Syllables

Hidden in 17 Syllables is a participatory haiku project developed at Bronbeek, a museum and senior living community in the Netherlands that was originally founded to celebrate Dutch colonial history, but has since shifted toward critically addressing the colonial past. As expected with such controversial history, the space generated strong opinions and emotional responses, yet visitors had little opportunity to publicly share or exchange their perspectives. In response, the project invited participants to capture their observations, thoughts, or reactions in the form of a haiku. The collected poems were assembled into a handmade book and, after failing to receive institutional approval, the book was hid in a public space inside the museum grounds. Contributors were each given a map revealing the book’s location thereby creating an alternative space for reflection and dialogue.