Interieur van een zaal met sculpturen en modellen van gebouwen in het Palace of Fine Arts op de World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 1893

Charles Dudley Arnold captured this image of the Palace of Fine Arts at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. As we gaze into this grand hall, we are not just looking at art; we are witnessing a moment of cultural spectacle. These world fairs were stages for nations to perform their identities, to display their wealth, progress, and values. But they also represent a troubling history of colonialism and exclusion. The sculptures and architectural models stand as symbols of civilization, yet they were often presented in a way that reinforced hierarchies, placing European achievements at the top. Consider the labor and resources that went into creating this spectacle, and who benefited from it. What stories are being told here, and whose stories are being left out? This image is not just a snapshot of a moment in time; it is a window into the complex and often contradictory forces that have shaped our world.