Tentoonstelling in de Planten- en Dierentuin te Batavia 1885 1885

Editor: So this is a bronze relief made by David van der Kellen, titled "Exhibition in the Plant and Zoo in Batavia 1885". It has this classical-looking figure on one side with palms in the background and on the other side it’s got this inscription with a laurel wreath surrounding it. It feels like it's trying to commemorate something grand and important, but I’m curious, what’s your interpretation? Curator: That "classical-looking figure," as you call it, is a key element. Notice her placement within a colonial landscape. She presents a wreath. Ask yourself: Who is she bestowing this honour upon? And, more importantly, *why*? The 1880s were a pivotal period for the Dutch colonial project in the East Indies, with exhibitions such as these designed to display the supposed "fruits" of their civilizing mission. Editor: So, the medal itself becomes a form of propaganda, an object that not only celebrates a zoo and botanical garden but also indirectly promotes colonialism itself. It's kind of unsettling, how these exhibitions would exoticize both plants and people for the entertainment of Europeans, right? Curator: Precisely. The very act of memorializing this event through a medal underscores its perceived importance to the colonial administration. The medal becomes a symbol of power dynamics. Who gets to create and control narratives and for what purpose? Even the composition of the artwork serves the narrative of a benevolent colonial presence improving on the "unruly" tropical landscape. Editor: I see, it's like the artwork is trying to justify colonial activity by presenting this idealized image of progress and success. I guess what seems like a simple commemorative object turns out to be a pretty loaded cultural artifact! Curator: Indeed. Reflecting on the narratives such objects perpetuated is vital for critically engaging with the historical underpinnings of our own institutions and cultural values. Editor: Absolutely, I'll never look at these kinds of historical objects in the same way again. Thank you.