Terugtocht naar Nederland met de Nelly Possibly 1950 - 1954

Editor: We're looking at "Terugtocht naar Nederland met de Nelly", or "Return to the Netherlands with the Nelly," a collection of black and white photographs and photomontages, possibly from the early 1950s. It feels deeply personal, like snapshots from someone's journey. What strikes you most about it? Curator: The album page format immediately tells me that this wasn’t intended for a gallery. This is memory; pure, unadulterated nostalgia glued onto cardboard. Look at how the photos aren't neatly aligned. There is a handwritten label under each image and below you can make out handwriting naming the location, so the owner is clearly trying to recall the important stops along this personal journey. Where do *you* think 'the Nelly' has been sailing? Editor: Perhaps from somewhere with a tropical climate judging by the outfits, although it is hard to see much detail in the pictures. I see the photographer, and maybe a friend, onboard and seemingly cheerful. They seem excited to be headed home. Is that too sentimental a reading? Curator: Not at all! That emotional current, that yearning for home, *is* the photograph. Technically, it's nothing spectacular. It is in fact incredibly ordinary. However, consider it: these soldiers probably sailed many times across the ocean with a sinking heart. But not this time! It's interesting to muse on what it represents – the relief, the anticipation... the sheer, bloody joy. Editor: So, it's not necessarily about *what* we see in the images themselves, but what they represent for the people involved? Curator: Exactly. Art, particularly photography, often functions as a container for emotions. What’s so touching is that it is clearly part of a bigger album: dozens, maybe hundreds of memories. Looking through those images is likely so emotionally potent for its owner. This page offers us a glimpse into that highly unique emotional relationship. Editor: It makes you think about the stories behind other old photos you see in junk shops; once treasured memories abandoned when their owners are gone. A poignant thought. Thanks!