Eerste slag : 150 jaar Max Havelaar 2010

Curator: The work before us, titled "Eerste slag: 150 jaar Max Havelaar," commemorates the 150th anniversary of Multatuli's seminal novel, Max Havelaar. Created in 2010 by Eelco Brand, it is a print relief on metal. Editor: It feels almost... spectral. The silver metal catches the light in such a way that it appears ethereal, as if a memory is being captured in solid form. Curator: That's an interesting reading. The piece cleverly juxtaposes text and image. You have the formal portrait of Queen Beatrix on one side, and on the other side, text excerpts from Max Havelaar itself spiraling inwards, overshadowed by a quill. Editor: That quill is quite striking. Placed centrally, it's so polished, almost aggressive in its sheen against the swirling, struggling script behind. And those tiny figures walking around the edges seem caught in a cycle, endlessly marching. Curator: Indeed, it's a layered composition. The figures reference the exploitation critiqued in the novel. Note how Brand employs the miniature format, traditional for coins, to explore complex socio-political themes. This is no mere celebratory token. Editor: Right. It's more than currency; it’s a loaded artifact. All this begs the question, has anything really changed in those 150 years? It prompts us to reconsider the impact this novel actually had, or perhaps, didn’t have, on social injustices. Curator: Absolutely. By presenting this indictment in such a refined, almost precious form, Brand amplifies the uncomfortable tension at the heart of Dutch colonial history and its echoes today. Editor: To look closely and find complexity where one expects commemorative simplicity feels very right and very challenging. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. It serves as a reminder that art's function is not always to console, but also to confront.