Tienjarig jubileum van de burgemeester van Amsterdam Mr. S.A. Vening Meinesz 1901 1901

This bronze medal commemorating the tenth anniversary of Amsterdam’s Mayor Vening Meinesz was made in 1901 by J.A.A. Gerritsen. What gets me is that it's a medal – a form we don't see much anymore – and it seems to yearn for touch. I’m curious about the material. Bronze has this incredible capacity to age, which means it carries time, you know? It looks like the surface has been polished by handling. I wonder who has held it, what hands? You can see the textures and details of the figures, which invite your fingers to trace them. The lions are regal, and the portrait is stern. The whole thing feels so weighty, so tangible, like a little piece of history you could slip into your pocket. Medals like this remind me of coins and other forms of historical artworks in miniature, like the work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres, which asked his audience to pick up and rearrange elements of the work. Artworks that require an ongoing conversation!