Nationale tentoonstelling van oude en nieuwe kunstnijverheid, 's Gravenhage 1888 1888

Editor: So, here we have a bronze relief from 1888 by Bart van Hove, titled "Nationale tentoonstelling van oude en nieuwe kunstnijverheid, 's Gravenhage 1888" - quite a mouthful! It features a central figure seemingly ascending, surrounded by others, with inscription going around. I’m curious about the narrative this work is trying to convey. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What I see here is not simply a representation of progress, but a snapshot of the sociopolitical ambitions of the late 19th century. The allegorical figures reaching upwards speak to a desire for national pride tied to artistic and industrial advancement. The ascending figure perhaps symbolizes the "new" art, but what does it obscure? What power structures are being reinforced even as “progress” is celebrated? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way, about power structures and who this art represents! I was mostly focused on the upward movement and the symbolism. What do you mean exactly? Curator: Well, consider the context. This piece was commissioned for a national exhibition, intended to showcase Dutch achievements. But whose achievements? Who had access to these artistic and industrial spheres at the time? Where are the representations of working-class individuals, or the voices of marginalized communities, within this vision of national progress? Are they included, or are they merely part of the machine of “progress” that is being shown? Editor: So, you're suggesting we should critically examine who is being celebrated and whose stories are left untold in this seemingly celebratory work? Curator: Precisely! And what is not shown or memorialized becomes just as important as what it is. It's in this very space that history is both created and manipulated. We must delve into this bronze and unearth both the light and the shadow to better appreciate the intricacies of Dutch culture in 1888. Editor: That's a really interesting way to think about it; I'll definitely keep that in mind moving forward. Curator: Excellent. We are creating space for a truly equitable dialogue when these complexities are given a space to be acknowledged.