RESEARCH RESIDENCY

FELIX MERITIS invited Beyond Walls for a three-month research residency to explore its colonial roots connected to this iconic building located in the heart of Amsterdam's Canal area. Founded in 1777 and opening its doors in 1788, Felix Meritis was established as a society of entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, and philosophers. Built on the ideals of the Enlightenment, Felix Meritis—meaning "Happy through Merit"—was a cultural center for notable figures such as Napoleon, Brahms, and later Ramses Shaffy. It was a place where ideas and people flourished, though it remained accessible only to white privileged men for a long time.

The colonial link, however, had never been researched before, despite Felix Meritis' foundation being inherently entangled with European colonialism, slavery, and unequal power relations.

How does this historical background align with contemporary realities and the inclusive, open space Felix Meritis strives to be today? Which underrepresented stories can (or cannot) be found in archives, historical sources, and other collections? How can we bring these stories to life and integrate them into Felix Meritis’ identity?

With this challenge, the Beyond Walls team conducted exploratory research in the archives and developed research-based recommendations for incorporating the findings into public-oriented formats. This represents the beginning of a long-term collaboration with Felix Meritis.

As Beyond Walls, we always combine research with visual storytelling and art. Inspired by Saidiya Hartman’s ‘critical fabulation’ method, artist Shishani created a remarkable spoken word piece based on the research results. A sneak peek is available on our website.