Blad 45 uit Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage deel II (1930-1949) Possibly 1932 - 1939

Curator: This is “Blad 45 uit Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage deel II (1930-1949),” an intriguing mixed-media piece possibly created between 1932 and 1939 by an anonymous artist. It features photographs, albumen prints, and collage elements on paper. Editor: My initial reaction is a sense of history, but also a feeling of controlled chaos. It’s like peering into a scrapbook where someone tried to impose order on memories but the inherent messiness of life keeps seeping through. Curator: Indeed. Structurally, we observe a grid-like composition, with handwritten entries forming the underlying framework. Juxtaposed against this are photographic images, creating a tension between formal record-keeping and personal narratives. The pen-ink sketches add another layer to this interplay. Editor: The albumen prints feel so antique, almost dreamlike. And the handwritten script is just gorgeous; it makes me want to trace the loops and swirls. The varying sizes of the photographs introduce an intriguing rhythm. Some are carefully placed, others look a bit haphazard, as though stuck on as an afterthought. Curator: Semiotically, we can read the photographs as signifiers of identity and experience. The signatures accompanying each entry reinforce the presence of individual actors within this colonial narrative. Consider the choice of albumen print – a medium prevalent during the period, potentially highlighting a sense of nostalgia or longing for a bygone era. Editor: There’s something poignant about these faded photographs of young women, their faces captured in these official records. Were they aware of the complex political backdrop against which their lives were playing out? It feels deeply personal. I wonder about the stories hidden within these frames. I bet this wasn't any old school yearbook... Curator: Your interpretation resonates with my view as well. It speaks to a profound human connection. As an archive, the "Blad 45" encapsulates broader socio-political dynamics that quietly highlight the complex personal experience and bureaucratic structures that shape people's existences. Editor: Absolutely, thank you for articulating such deep analysis. It has made me reconsider my assumptions about the piece and to realize this sketchbook might offer more nuance of what existed in Colonial society back then.