Xavier Robles de Medina
Pengel, 2024

Notably, Robles de Medina’s grandfather, Stuart Robles de Medina —an artist and educator— was commissioned to craft a bronze sculpture of Pengel after his passing that was revealed on Independence Square 50 years ago in 1974. The meticulous documentation of this process, captured in a family photo album, not only chronicles the artistic endeavour but inadvertently provides a snapshot of the societal climate during the politically tumultuous period leading to Suriname’s independence in 1975.

Extensive research by Xavier Robles de Medina highlights the circumstances surrounding the sculpture’s creation, culminating in a monograph that replicates the original photo album.