Bewijs van Nederlanderschap van Marie Jordan Possibly 1936 - 1939

This document, 'Bewijs van Nederlanderschap van Marie Jordan', or Proof of Dutch Citizenship of Marie Jordan, is made from paper and card, covered in a textile of woven plant fibers and printed with ink. The texture of the textile is evident, even through the print, and in turn suggests wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. It is these very properties that imbue the document with a sense of national identity. The artist is unknown, but presumably worked as a printmaker employed by the Dutch state. The weaving of the textile cover evokes the production of textiles, and the wider economy of trade and industry. The cover is printed with functional lettering, geometric shapes, and a serial number. In the context of increasing globalization, perhaps we should consider the material qualities of objects like this and the work involved in their production, rather than traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.