lanse kÒd lÒtbÒ dlo

Location: Amsterdam, NL

01/31/2024

Inspired by the carnival in my mother’s hometown of Jacmel. Lanse Kòd ‘Rope Throwers’ is a recurring character in the carnival. Usually bare chested,wearing horns, shorts, sneakers or boots and covered in a black shiny mixture of sugarcane syrup and charcoal covering the skin completely from head to toe. Lanse Kòd’s origin dates back to colonial time carnival celebrations in Haiti. During these times, colonizers would dress this way to mimic and mock the enslaved. However, after the Haitian Revolution, this was reclaimed. This character is one of the lasting symbols of our freedom.

Model/Producer: Kristof West

Assistant: Elsemarijn Hijweege