Boslandschap 1873 - 1932

Editor: We're looking at "Boslandschap," a forest landscape drawing by Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff, likely made sometime between 1873 and 1932. It's done with pen and ink. There's a starkness to the monochromatic palette and the stark verticality of the trees. What stands out to you as you consider the history behind it? Curator: This piece, with its reliance on ink and its focus on a natural, untamed scene, makes me consider the relationship between artistic representation and environmental consciousness of the era. To me it is impossible to look at an image of trees and not acknowledge a painful history of deforestation and colonization that coincided with the later years of this work. Editor: Deforestation and colonization, that’s not immediately apparent… Could you elaborate? Curator: Absolutely. We need to consider who had access to representing nature at this time, and what power structures are in place that afforded this access. Who benefitted from the trees and who was displaced? Think about the art world’s historical exclusion of women, people of color, and indigenous artists and their perspectives. What are we not seeing? Editor: So, you're suggesting we look beyond the tranquil surface of the landscape and consider whose stories aren't being told, the dispossessed people dependent on those forests for their ways of life? Curator: Precisely. Art isn’t created in a vacuum. How does this image reinforce or challenge colonial ideas? Are we romanticizing nature at the expense of acknowledging the environmental and social cost of progress? It is important to acknowledge these concerns to prevent replicating harm. Editor: I hadn't considered it in that light at all. It makes you realize how important it is to question whose perspective we're seeing and whose voices are missing. Curator: Yes, viewing art in a critical and engaged way fosters awareness of broader cultural and historical contexts. Editor: Thanks. I definitely have a new perspective. I think our listeners will appreciate that!