Houten doos bij munt '150 jaar Max Havelaar' 2010

This wooden box for the '150 jaar Max Havelaar' coin, made by Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt NV, is a real exercise in subtle contrasts. I love how the machine-made precision of the box meets the handmade feel of the wood grain. It's a box, so you can't help but wonder what is inside? What are we meant to keep safe? What kind of ideas about value are being exchanged? The smooth surface and honeyed tone of the wood give a calm, almost meditative feel, which then gets punctuated by the sharp, black text that seems so deliberately placed on top. That little slot in the front of the box, is it a mouth, an eye? It reminds me of those Josef Albers colour studies, where a simple shape, carefully placed, opens up all kinds of optical and emotional possibilities. This piece invites us to consider the beauty in the everyday, and how simple forms can speak volumes.