Album met (betekende) kaarten gericht aan en verzameld door Jan Ponstijn en zijn familie c. 1910 - 1930

Curator: Immediately, this strikes me as something intensely personal, almost secretive. A worn, muted album with a tie closure... like something from another era, carefully preserved. Editor: Indeed. We're looking at an album— "Album met (betekende) kaarten gericht aan en verzameld door Jan Ponstijn en zijn familie"— dating from around 1910 to 1930. What is significant about it is its construction. Notice the varied use of paper, prints and colored pencils within. Mixed media work bound into an album that serves as both the container and canvas. Curator: You can tell it’s handmade. Not mass produced at all. Even the cover speaks volumes about labor— the texturing, the binding. Were these materials readily available? I imagine a conscious choice away from industrial polish and more towards accessibility. Editor: Precisely! I see this as a poignant family artifact, offering a glimpse into the socio-cultural landscape of the time through their familial ephemera. Each postcard, drawing and coloured element represents not only individual artistry but also societal values. The labour and means by which art are created at this scale offers insight into intersectional social dynamics. Curator: The way the cards and images are ordered… it's intriguing. You almost get the feeling the process of assembling the album was part of the work itself, not merely a container. Editor: Consider this from a perspective outside the European context: It challenges the notion of high art. Craft here takes centre stage as its creation offers critical insight and political perspective. How does family identity coalesce alongside modernity here? Curator: A lovely point. And where does the notion of art as commodity stand in relation to this family’s keepsake? Perhaps a useful consideration of artistic integrity— for artist Gestel. Editor: Definitely a vital point in understanding art's transformative role beyond gallery spaces. It brings a layered conversation to this particular artwork by Gestel! Curator: It's funny; looking at it makes me consider how our digital photos will be viewed a century from now. So much is lost, no? This album makes tangible memory almost sculptural. Editor: And isn’t that poignant—to have this window through mixed-media ephemera that’s survived history and context.