China prentbriefkaart 'John Bull als Cyrano de Bergerac' c. 1900 - 1918

This postcard, by Alfaro Reijding, uses ink and color to convey a really complicated message about empire and desire. I mean, just look at how the artist handles the yellow; it's not just a color, it's a mood, right? There's this tension between the stark black outlines and the flat planes of yellow that kind of flattens the whole picture. It’s like the artist is saying, "Hey, this is all just a performance," a stage play where the real stuff is happening underneath. Check out how the word ‘Imperialisme’ is emblazoned on the yellow figure's garment; it's so blatant it's almost funny. Reijding’s work reminds me a bit of George Grosz, that unflinching eye on society's hypocrisies and follies. But here, there’s also something else, a sense of theater, a wink that says, "We're all in on this ridiculous game." Art isn’t about answers; it's about keeping the conversation going.