100-Jarig bestaan der Nederlandsche Maatschappij tot bevordering der pharmacie 1842 - 1942 1942

Editor: This striking metal relief commemorates the centennial of the Dutch Society for the Advancement of Pharmacy. It’s dated 1942 and signed by M.P.J. Fleur. What I find interesting is how such a practical institution chose to represent itself in this almost classical, symbolic style. What’s your take on this, especially given the time it was made? Curator: It’s fascinating, isn’t it? We see two sides here, literally and figuratively. One depicts a mortar and pestle, a central tool in the production of medicine. The other shows foliage with dates around it. But let's think about the materiality: Why choose metal? Medals often function as currency of achievement; here the society casts its own value. Consider also the historical context, produced during World War II. Editor: So, the very material asserts permanence and perhaps a desire to reinforce the society's role amidst conflict? I hadn't thought about the material asserting meaning so directly. Curator: Exactly. How else does this challenge traditional art classifications for you? Where would it normally "live," conceptually? Editor: Well, traditionally, a sculpture would be thought of as an aesthetic object first and foremost. Here, that aesthetic quality is deeply intertwined with the labor of pharmaceutical advancement, and, as you’re saying, social and political forces as well. The act of creation through material impacts its cultural and historical weight. It is a call for hope amid a devastating and uncertain time. Curator: Precisely! The physical embodiment as medicine. Its usefulness is inextricably linked to its inherent properties of strength. By framing medicine as an active participant during times of war, a renewed awareness is achieved in the value of pharmacists. Editor: This has definitely shifted my understanding! I tend to think of medals and relief sculpture in one category, forgetting that there are tangible links with the time, place and purpose they represent. Curator: And hopefully opened your perspective that labor, materials, and consumption always interrelate in meaning!