Reisalbum met foto's van bedrijvigheid en bezienswaardigheden op Sumatra en Java en van de reis naar en van Nederlands-Indië c. 1900 - 1920

This is a photograph album made in the Dutch East Indies; its cover is intricately adorned with traditional batik fabric. Imagine the meticulous, repetitive, and almost meditative process of batik. Wax is applied to the cloth to create a pattern, then dye, then wax again, building up layers of design. I find myself wondering about the makers of this album. What were they thinking as they carefully applied the wax, as they dipped the fabric into the dye? Did they know their work would one day be viewed in a museum? The colors are rich, the patterns complex. The surface has a wonderful texture that invites touch, even though you can’t. Each shape seems to have its own voice, its own story to tell. And it makes me think about other artists, other makers, all engaged in a similar act of creation across time and cultures. We’re all just talking to each other, trying to make sense of the world, one brushstroke, one wax line, at a time.