Op het dek van de 'Koning Willem I' 1900 - 1902

Editor: This is "Op het dek van de 'Koning Willem I'," taken between 1900 and 1902. It’s a gelatin silver print that captures a moment on the deck of a ship. It feels quite static to me; like a stage set before the actors arrive. What story do you see here? Curator: It's interesting that you perceive it as static, I see a layered narrative of class, labor, and movement implicit in the photograph. This ship, the 'Koning Willem I', likely facilitated the expansion of colonial trade routes. Look closely at the deck; who has access to this space? Where are the laborers who maintained the ship? Editor: I see what you mean. There are benches, so it seems meant for passengers, suggesting leisure. Where would others be? Curator: Precisely. Where are the Indigenous people whose lands were being exploited to fill this ship with goods? The workers below deck feeding the engine? Their absence speaks volumes about the power dynamics at play during this period. This isn't simply a photograph of a ship's deck. It is a depiction of a highly segregated society made mobile, a microcosm of colonialism itself. Editor: I didn’t think about it like that at first. Seeing it now, it feels like this picture freezes a very particular social structure in time. The silent ship suddenly feels heavy. Curator: Exactly. Considering the historical and social context, how might we challenge viewers to question the romanticized narratives of sea travel and trade, and recognize its darker undercurrents? Editor: Thinking about the image through the lens of power dynamics really changes everything. I appreciate your perspective.