Oorlog op Java, groot draagteken uitgereikt aan de deelnemers, ter ere van Willem I Frederik, koning der Nederlanden 1830

Curator: The piece before us is entitled *Oorlog op Java, groot draagteken uitgereikt aan de deelnemers, ter ere van Willem I Frederik, koning der Nederlanden*, made by David van der Kellen around 1830. Editor: My immediate impression is of scattered history. The cool bronze and the somewhat careless arrangement suggests a memorial that’s lost its original reverence. Curator: Indeed. Each of these octagonal bronze medals was presented to participants in the Java War, a conflict between the Dutch and the Javanese people. The symbolism runs deep, offering glimpses into colonial power dynamics. What visual elements stand out to you? Editor: The subdued color palette first. It speaks of age, remembrance, and perhaps even the muted moral ambiguities inherent in conflicts such as the Java War. And then, the sheer quantity... a multitude signifying many individual experiences coalescing into a collective historical moment. Curator: Exactly. The bronze material itself signifies permanence, a desire to fix this moment in time and memory. The octagonal shape of each medal is not accidental either. The octagon could signify rebirth or transition in many different cultural contexts. Here it serves to create clear delineations around these figures. Editor: I agree, and the varying patinas and subtle differences across the individual medals offer micro-narratives within the larger one. Scratches and other imperfections tell the unique story of each one; I am sure that these medals carry physical proof of those untold histories. It’s not simply a unified monument but rather a network of fragmented, personal testaments. Curator: Which collectively construct our understanding of the event itself. The medal then functions as more than just an award but an ideological signifier of loyalty to the Dutch crown and a mark on Javanese resistance to colonialism. These physical items are loaded with complex histories of a particular place and time. Editor: This collection truly underscores how material culture preserves history. Each element contributes to a visual text encoding narratives about nationhood, empire, and the impact of war. It leaves me to think on who gets commemorated and who is left outside that circle. Curator: An excellent reflection, hinting at history's inherent selectivity. These bronze relics certainly give substantial pause.