Album met 68 prentbriefkaarten 'Als aandenken aan Suriname' 1900 - 1910

Editor: Here we have "Album met 68 prentbriefkaarten 'Als aandenken aan Suriname,'" created by diverse makers between 1900 and 1910. It's a drawing on paper, an open album. What strikes me is the stark simplicity and how little the opening pages actually tell us about Suriname. What's your interpretation of this album’s opening? Curator: I think it's essential to acknowledge that this seemingly simple album opens up a complex dialogue around colonialism and representation. "Als aandenken aan Suriname"—'As a memento of Suriname'—for whom is this memento intended? Consider the power dynamic inherent in the act of taking and possessing memories. How might this album function as a tool in shaping European perceptions of Suriname, potentially obscuring the realities of the local population under colonial rule? Editor: So, the very act of remembering, or creating a memento, becomes a political act in this context? Curator: Precisely. And consider the time it was made, early 20th century. How were indigenous and Afro-Surinamese people involved in the creation and circulation of these images? What perspectives are centered, and more importantly, what voices are missing? It's vital that we engage critically with these visual archives, mindful of the silences and erasures they often perpetuate. What might we find if we examine the imagery of the 68 postcards? Editor: It sounds like diving into the actual postcards could reveal whose story is really being told, and at whose expense. Curator: Exactly. The surface says 'memory,' but we need to excavate the deeper, often uncomfortable, truths about how that memory was constructed. That simple title sets the stage for a lot of critical questioning, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. I'll definitely be looking at those postcards with a new perspective now. Thank you!