God is dead
It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing of Herman Steur, god of Sri Lanka's "Netherlands Welcome Village" and Empire's first leading man. He died on March 24th, 2012.
Without Herman, there would be no Empire. His openness and sense of humor laid the cornerstone for our creation. Two years after working with him, we still can't escape the feeling that he is, in many ways, the ultimate Empire character. Deeply religious, yet breezy and whimsical. Impassioned, yet self-aware.
Herman's pioneer spirit led him to Sri Lanka's northeast coast. There, he created a simulacra world that was constantly at war with its natural environment. Dutch architecture is not meant for the tropics. Bricks crumble in the extreme damp, and white walls become streaked with gray mold. But despite all of this, Herman persisted, forcing his plans into existence, transforming his idiosyncratic dreams into reality.
Herman did not hesitate to let down his guard and let us into his empire. It is thanks to his generosity that now, two years later, we are still criss-crossing the globe in search of the lost tribes of postcolonialism.
RIP, Herman.