Abroad and at home 1878 - 1879

Editor: Here we have “Abroad and at Home,” a print from 1878-1879 attributed to T.B. Glanville. It's a photograph of the open pages of what looks like a journal, complete with a portrait and handwritten text. It feels intensely personal, almost like an invitation into someone's private world. What stands out to you? Curator: It's compelling to consider this "private world" in its specific historical context. Glanville was part of the Cape of Good Hope, actively involved in immigration commission. His dual existence “abroad and at home” signifies more than physical locations; it gestures towards the fraught politics of colonialism, doesn't it? The very notion of "home" becomes a complex issue. Whose home are we talking about? The colonizer or the colonized? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. I was drawn to the intimate nature of the journal, but you're right, the title throws a wrench in that interpretation. Curator: Exactly! And what about the photograph, carefully presented in an oval frame on the opposing page? How does that act to construct and convey identity, especially considering his role in the colonial project? Is it a statement of authority, of belonging, even of justification? Editor: So, it's not just a personal reflection, but a carefully constructed image, reflecting colonial power dynamics. I never would have picked up on that on my own. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! We’ve both pushed ourselves to think critically about the social and political dimensions of this intimate seeming journal. It’s a valuable reminder of art’s capability to contain and conceal such messages, requiring constant engagement from its viewers.