Eerste Slag: Erasmus Laus Stultitiae 2011

Curator: Dylan Shields created "Eerste Slag: Erasmus Laus Stultitiae," a 2011 photographic study. Editor: At first glance, the composition's geometric rigor grabs me; two perfect circles neatly bisected, the metallic surfaces reflecting the light with an almost clinical detachment. Curator: Yes, but it's a photograph OF a commemorative coin, celebrating Erasmus, isn't it? Commemorative currency always aims for an interplay between national identity and shared European values. Notice the map of Europe contrasted with the portraits. Editor: True. That contrast really pops. The one side is pure abstraction of geography with currency numerals and on the opposite end, this surprisingly old-fashioned profile portrait, slightly reminiscent of cameos... the sharp lines against the dark field is striking. Curator: Exactly. Erasmus, a critical figure in European humanism, is subtly aligned here with Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. A clear suggestion of humanist values and intellectual continuity enshrined in the very act of sovereign rule. Also a comment on the importance of education and knowledge to the development of the European nation-state. Editor: Fascinating how a mundane object can be charged with so much cultural baggage when framed and lit like this. I like the way the coin portraits echo a kind of self-regard that we typically only see among powerful elite historical subjects in formal court portraits of the renaissance, even on this incredibly small scale. Curator: Don’t forget that Shields likely uses photography here because coins were part of a historical trend towards a broader popularization of portraiture, like inexpensive printed portrait engravings. This creates interesting parallels and comments on value within cultures. Editor: In essence, Shields presents us not merely with currency, but with a potent symbol of power, intellect, and our cultural narratives in a circular and cyclical economy. Curator: Precisely. By focusing on the imagery imprinted on such commonplace objects, Shields offers us an insight into how values get materialised, and who decides on their circulation and cultural impact. Editor: A miniature universe filled with meaning...it definitely makes me think of money in a completely new light, a physical symbol with immense intellectual weight.