Marion Bloem
(Arnhem, 1952) became well-known with Geen gewoon Indisch meisje (Not an ordinary East-Indies girl, 1983) and Vaders van betekenis (Fathers of significance, 1989), novels in which women go in search of their East Indies past. Bloem herself is the daughter of East Indies parents who, after Indonesian independence, migrated to the Netherlands. In 1993 she received the E. du Perron Award. In 2010 her poem Geen requiem (No requiem) appeared on the occasion of 65 years of liberation. In it she tells how Dutch East Indies people had to hide their past in order to build an existence here. "Our parents remained silent and put their past in cabin trunks in the attic. Unlocked. The keys roamed about in dreams. Or emerged somehow, suddenly", she writes. Bloem studied clinical psychology and is active as a psychologist. The conversations she had with men and the cancer of the prostate her husband suffered from some years ago laid the basis for her latest book Meer dan mannelijk (More than manly), in which she explores how men are driven by the testosteron in their bodies. Bloem also made various films, she paints and in addition to novels and poems writes novellas, short stories, and children's books.
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Archive available for: Marion Bloem
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Wet Dreams on a Winter's Night
Four liberated writers about the joys of shamelessness. Petra Stienen hosts a discussion on writing about sex, the narrow-minded reactions of (some) men and their 'je m'en fou' attitude vis-a-vis conservative readers. A conversation without embarrassment, without borders, without rules: four women talking about the joys of shamelessness, sprinkled with spicy anecdotes and fine fragments. In English.
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Indische Winternacht 1997
With: Adriaan van Dis, Aya Zikken, Carel Alphenaar, De Nazaten van Prins Hendrik, Gamelan Ensemble Widosari, Hans Vervoort, Hella Haasse, Jill Stolk, Marion Bloem, Michaël Zeeman, Mischa de Vreede, Radhar Panca Dahana, Rayuan Samud'ra, Rendra, Sitok Srengenge, Sitor Situmorang, The Galaxy Band, Wieteke van Dort
In 1997 the second edition of the Indische Winternacht took place: a Dutch and Indonesian evening of literature, music, film and storytelling. Among the participants were: Adriaan van Dis, Wieteke van Dort, Mischa de Vreede, Jill Stolk, Hella Haasse, Aya Zikken, Marion Bloem, and from Indonesia Rendra, Sitor Situmorang, Panca Dahana and Sitok Srengenge. The writers were introduced by Carel Alphenaar and interviewed by Michaël Zeeman. With music by The Galaxy Band, Gamelan Ensemble Widosari and De Nazaten van Prins Hendrik.
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Indische Winternacht 1995
With: Aart van Zoest, Anneke Grönloh, Ernst Jansz, F. Springer, Goenawan Mohamad, Hamid Jabbar, Hella Haasse, Jill Stolk, Liane van der Linden, Marion Bloem, Nelleke Noordervliet, Paula Gomes, Rayuan Samud'ra, Rendra, Sitok Srengenge, The Blue Diamonds, Toeti Heraty, Yvonne Keuls
The Indische Winternachten was the final programme in the Festival Indië/Indonesië (Festival Dutch East Indies/Indonesia). In the main autitorium of Theater aan het Spui, writers read from their work. In the foyer they were interviewed. In three venues of Cinematheek Haags Filmhuis a programme of old and new films on the Dutch East-Indies and Indonesia were presented. The music programme presented Krontjong, the Blue Diamonds, Indo-rock and a show by Anneke Grönloh. You can download the complete festival programme magazine as a pdf here.
