Cadeau Hoezo?

All around the world, people give gifts. At birthdays, weddings, births, funerals, or as offerings. But what actually makes a gift good? And what do you do if you receive one you don’t like, or that feels too small? Can you say something, or is that inappropriate? While Dutch people often ask for a receipt, things are quite different in Japan or Thailand. Gifts Unwrapped! (in Dutch Cadeau, hoezo?) is a lavish, interactive exhibition about the art of giving – and everything that comes with it.
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Editor & Copywriter
Tropenmuseum Amsterdam
Concept, compilation and realization
Tropenmuseum Amsterdam
Exhibition Design
MAISON the FAUX
3D wallpaper and wrapping paper design
Carol Civre
Graphic Design
Dana Dijkgraaf
Graphic Design Furoshiki Installation
Yamada Sen’i Musubi, Kyoto
Light Design
Beersnielsen
Lichtontwerpers Digital Interactive Design
RNUL
Animation and Present Viewing Boxes
Charlotte van Otterloo
AV Installation
Production & More and RNUL
Production
Brandwacht & Meijer, Jos van den Enden, Rob van Gameren, Jubels, K-tijn, Fabienne Onderwijzer, Charlotte van Otterloo, RB Productie, Rijnja Repro, Erica Segveld, TARS Visuele presentatie, Fabio Thomaz and Danny Weijermans
Translation
Sue McDonnell

Concept
The exhibition takes visitors on a journey into the world of gifts. Through international perspectives, surprising stories, and remarkable objects, it becomes clear how culture, rituals, and emotions are intertwined with the simple act of giving. From wedding dresses and dolls to mangoes, the diversity of gifts reflects the richness of people and their traditions.

What did we make?
The exhibition unfolds across themed spaces, guiding visitors through a clear journey. It begins with the wrapping – the first thing you see when receiving a gift. A landscape of life-sized presents, wrapped in specially designed papers by New York–based artist Carol Civre, forms the spectacular entrance. Her unique designs are inspired by wrapping traditions from around the world: a Christmas paper featuring a dark-skinned Santa, a playful piñata pattern, and a shimmering Eid Mubarak box print.

The second space becomes more personal, focusing on the recipient and the occasion. Falling in love, getting married, celebrating a birth or a birthday – visitors learn which gifts are exchanged in different cultures during these milestones. At the center stands a giant present wrapped in a furoshiki, a Japanese wrapping cloth. Visitors can step inside and literally become a gift themselves. The furoshiki was specially designed for the exhibition in collaboration with Japanese designers, and is also available in a smaller version in the museum shop.

Sparkles
Gifts Unwrapped! is both festive and playful, while at the same time inviting visitors to reflect on traditions we often take for granted. Through international collaborations and imaginative installations, giving and receiving becomes an art form in itself. The exhibition brings together stories, cultures, and people – showing that behind every gift lies a world of meaning.

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