Eerste slag : 400 jaar handelsbetrekkingen Nederland-Japan 2009

Curator: The work we're looking at is called "Eerste slag : 400 jaar handelsbetrekkingen Nederland-Japan," which translates to "First Strike: 400 Years of Trade Relations Between the Netherlands and Japan." It’s by Esther de Vries, created in 2009. Editor: Well, immediately the high-contrast geometric patterning and silver hue give the work a distinctly modern feel. It seems very concerned with surface texture and ordered structures, even though it appears deceptively simple. Curator: It commemorates the 400th anniversary of trade between the Netherlands and Japan. Given that context, how might that perceived simplicity speak to the actual complexity inherent in geopolitical interactions and the history of Dutch-Japanese relations? Editor: The symmetry seems crucial; these opposing diagonals meeting in the center of a sphere could represent two powers balanced or in collision. It strikes me, too, how the patterns feel almost like overlaid blueprints or circuit diagrams, implying the systematic, almost mechanistic, quality of this type of exchange. Curator: Precisely. Consider, also, that historically, such exchanges haven't been entirely reciprocal, and looking deeper, do you find any visual disruption that might suggest tension or discord? Editor: I hadn't considered that aspect, but I can see areas, such as the dots on the obverse, that disrupt the smooth linearity. And then those bands…are they representative of traditional or modern technology, maybe telegraph lines, barcodes...? The artist blends recognizable forms into a composition which demands to be interpreted. Curator: It certainly makes you consider what's exchanged in trade: ideas, cultures, power, technologies... and how those relationships shape our world. Editor: I'm seeing that now; by using visual discordance, the artist subtly exposes some of the underlying frictions and complexities within those long-term exchanges of culture and commodities. Curator: Yes, so what first appears straightforward is indeed fraught with layers of complex socio-political meaning. Editor: This deeper engagement enriches the work immeasurably. It speaks of much more than commerce.