Nederlandse vrouwen in Japanse concentratiekampen 1947 1947

Titus Leeser made this medal in 1947, commemorating Dutch women in Japanese concentration camps. The way the image has been formed, it has a worn out look, giving the image a natural and historical feeling. Look closely at the woman's hair and how the material seems to bend around the form. It feels like the medium has been gently coaxed into shape rather than forced. The light catches the raised surfaces, highlighting the texture. The woman's hands and torso, bound by rope, symbolize captivity, but her gaze and the inscription "Fier en Ongebroken"—Proud and Unbroken—suggest resilience. This reminds me a bit of Käthe Kollwitz, not just in the subject matter, but in the way she used the textures of the materials to create a feeling of deep, felt emotion. In the end, art becomes this ongoing conversation, where each piece is both an answer and a question.