Blad 89 uit Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage deel II (1930-1949) Possibly 1937

This is a page from a ledger, an anonymous work made in the colonial school for girls and women in the Hague. I love how this piece embraces chance through process. There is something deeply moving about the handwritten entries, the old photographs, and the signatures in this collection. The photos are glued into place with a thick, uneven application, which gives them a kind of awkward physicality. The ink of the handwriting is faded in places, and the writing itself is slanted and inconsistent. These details create a sense of intimacy. I'm drawn to the entry for Nat Sochman, "belastnit with Mister", followed by the place name Medan. It's just a small detail, but it speaks volumes about the social and political dynamics at play. This piece reminds me of Moyra Davey's photographs of everyday objects and personal ephemera. Both artists seem interested in the ways that we construct meaning from the fragments and traces of our lives.