Nederlandse vrouwen in Japanse concentratiekampen 1947 1947

Titus Leeser's bronze medal from 1947 depicts Dutch women in Japanese concentration camps. You see this lone female figure, head held high, with rope binding her wrists. I imagine Leeser working with the metal, feeling its coolness and weight as he slowly coaxes this image into being. It's not paint, but it's just as physical, just as full of intention. The lines of her hair stream back almost like flames, a silent shout of defiance, while the cool bronze communicates a sense of resilience. Think about what it means to capture such suffering in this form. It’s a memorial, yes, but also something more intimate. The medal fits in your palm, a story you can hold. Leeser is in conversation with all the artists who try to find form for the unspeakable. It’s about bearing witness, and about the stubborn, persistent power of the human spirit.