Koreaanse kinderen 1950 - 1951

David Ketel’s small photograph titled 'Korean Children' captures a group of children in front of a traditional Korean house. Ketel, born in 1913, lived through a period marked by significant global conflicts and shifts in cultural perceptions. This image, while seemingly simple, resonates with the complexities of representing foreign cultures. The children, dressed in modest clothing, stand with a mixture of curiosity and reserve. The setting, with its thatched-roof house, speaks to a way of life that might have seemed quaint or exotic to Western eyes. Consider the power dynamics inherent in such a gaze. Who gets to represent whom, and what stories are told or left out in the process? The image invites us to reflect on the cross-cultural understanding – or misunderstanding – that occurs when one culture looks at another. What does it mean to see these children, their lives, and their culture through the lens of a Western photographer? It prompts us to question the narratives we construct about each other.