About
About the project
MONSTER ARCHIEF (2022-2031) is an archival-artistic research project into the sodomy processes of Faan (Groningen). In 1731, mayor Rudolf de Mepsche sentenced 24 sodomites (≈ homosexuals) to death. The bodies were burned, but materials remain ‒ such as legal transcripts, maps, archaeological findings, folk narratives, religious pamphlets, etc.
MONSTER ARCHIEF's mission is twofold:
- Gathering all primary and secondary information about the Monsterproces and making it publicly accessible
- Making new stories together that help us understand and process the Monsterproces.
Contact
If you have any questions or want to contribute to the archive, please reach out at monsterarchief@gmail.com
Cases
0. The People ____[█░░░░░░░░░]
about: A dramatis personae. Who were all the people involved in the Monsterproces? What are their relations, genealogies and biographies? What did these people look like? How are they portrayed in different (hi)stories?
status: Gathering data... Transcribing...
team: Fiona van den Bergh, Michiel Teeuw
I. The Archive ____[██░░░░░░░░]
about: An archival exercise. Where do (our ideas about) archives come from? What is the invisible architecture, bureaucracy, labor, organization behind the scenes? What mechanisms are at play? How could the MONSTER ARCHIEF work as an online and physical archive?
status: Nearly finished with the bibliography... Starting the writing process soon...
II. Bylma Assembly (The Building) ____[███████░░░]
about: An archaeological excavation. What did mayor de Mepsche's house look like? What role did it play in the Process? How can materials from the 1957 excavation be activated in order to create reconstructions of this house? How do we relate to such reconstructions?
status: Two large-scale projects finished... Most of research finished... Preparing for a conclusive project...
previous contributors: Siem de Boer, Sanne Folgerts, Bert Nijboer, Children of de Spriknust, Paula Biemans, Imogen Humphris, river budur, Chris Luza, Tammy Langtry, Ayushi Chaurasia
team: Siem de Boer, Michiel Teeuw
III. Mepsche's Grounds (The Land) ____[████████░░]
about: A meditation on property. How did mayor de Mepsche's land ownership influence de Mepsche's power and political decision-making? How did the general land laws influence and reflect the views of the time? Which ideas shape our thinking about land?
status: Project nearly finished... Most of research finished... Preparing for a conclusive project...
previous contributors: Maaz M. Jan, Siem de Boer.
team: Michiel Teeuw
IV. The Process ____[█░░░░░░░░░]
about: A jurisdictional dissection. What did the Process look like? Who were involved? What was the timeline of the Process? What legal, rethorical and theological frameworks did it rely on? How did it relate to processes in the Dutch urban areas and colonies?
status: Gathering data... Transcribing...
team: to be assembled
V. Helsche Boosheit (The Sin) ____ [████░░░░░░]
about: A theological reading. What role did de Helsche Boosheit play, a theological manifest against sodomites? What are the different ideas that come forward in this book, and how do they relate to ideas of the time? How can we use our contemporary magics in this context?
status: First large-scale project finished... Made a good start with research... Processing results from first project...
previous contributors: Milly, Doris Gemini, Sofía Murillo Lommers, Feije Duim, Jens Huls, Christiaan Schoonenberg, Mikaela Martinez Parente
team: Christiaan Schoonenberg, Michiel Teeuw
VI. The Stories ____[███░░░░░░░]
about: A narrative encounter. What different stories are told about the Process? Which themes return throughout them? How do they reflect the positions of the makers, and ideas of the time? What is told, and what isn't?
status: Gathering data... Transcribing and translating.... Working towards some first experiments...
team: Naomi Hettiarachchige Hubèrt, Chris Luza, Michiel Teeuw
website
This website is a digital archive in process. The beta version launched in mid-2024. It's designed by Michiel Teeuw and programmed by Marie Madonna.
The development of this website is sponsored by Kunstraad Groningen.