Collier met schakels van wajangpoppen uitgesneden in imitatieschildpad c. 1930 - 1932

This necklace was crafted by Willem van Laar using imitation tortoise shell to create a string of oval links, each featuring a delicate carving of wayang puppets. I imagine Willem patiently carving these tiny figures, each cut a precise gesture, a miniature echo of the puppeteer’s movements in the traditional shadow play. The choice of material — imitation tortoise shell — gives the piece a tactile quality, warm to the touch with a depth of color that shifts with the light, as the tortoise shell has a life of its own. The material asks you to look again. You can see how the forms of the puppets are abstracted within the ovals, like characters in a dream. It's this simplification that gives the figures a mysterious quality. There is an ongoing conversation between artists and art forms across time, isn’t there? This necklace embodies cultural stories that remind us that art is a shared language, full of ambiguity and open to many interpretations.