Affiches Indië-vluchten c. 1930 - 1940

Editor: So, here we have a collection of KLM promotional posters from the 1930s or 40s, all in monochrome. The phrase "Indi\u00eb-vluchten" suggests they were advertising flights to the Dutch East Indies, modern day Indonesia. They evoke such a sense of adventure, of opening up the world. What grabs your attention when you look at these, considering the historical context? Curator: You know, the thing that really hums for me is how these posters straddle a kind of technological optimism and the… well, the complicated colonial narrative they're inevitably entangled in. The graphic design—very Art Deco, very clean lines—speaks of progress, of shrinking the globe. You almost forget about what that "shrinking" implied in terms of power dynamics, don’t you think? I’m especially drawn to the globe images – routes mapped as lines of flight. Makes you wonder about the perspectives being centered, and those being… well, flown over, doesn’t it? Editor: Definitely, there’s an almost clinical way of presenting the world. Was that detachment intentional, do you think? Curator: It's interesting you use the word clinical. I suspect the intention was less about detachment and more about projecting an image of effortless sophistication, safety and reliability. This was cutting-edge technology being marketed. But what strikes me is the complete erasure of any actual culture or people of the destinations. Do you get a whiff of that too? Editor: Absolutely, that colonial gaze is very present. I never considered that perspective before. I came for the aesthetic and I'm leaving with so much more to ponder! Curator: Isn’t that the best kind of art? Something that whispers stories and screams uncomfortable truths. Keeps us all on our toes, or perhaps… wings.