Twee Ministers 1920 - 1930

Curator: Editor: So this piece is called "Twee Ministers," meaning "Two Ministers," and it’s by Patricq Kroon, dating roughly from the 1920s to 30s. It looks like pen and ink on paper. What strikes me most is the caricature style; it seems like a comment on bureaucracy or perhaps even corruption. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It’s interesting that you mention caricature. Considering this was made between the wars, what does the medium—pen and ink, easily reproducible—suggest about its intended audience? Think about it: who would consume such a drawing and how? Editor: I guess that because it’s reproducible, it was probably made for mass consumption. Perhaps it appeared in a newspaper or magazine? Something that's addressing the everyday person. Curator: Precisely. Now, look at the text in the image: “Veevoederfabrica Passief 7 Millioen” and “Pantserkruisers 18 Millioen.” What could that signify in the context of post-war Europe, thinking about production and consumption? Editor: Okay, so it looks like “animal feed factory, 7 million passive” and “armored cruisers, 18 million.” So is this maybe commenting on prioritizing military spending over basic needs, like food production? Exposing the materials required for one against the other, and the huge economic imbalance of that? Curator: Exactly! It's a material critique, exposing the priorities embedded within economic and political structures of the time. It makes one really consider where labor and material resources are funnelled, doesn't it? Editor: It does. I hadn’t considered it in that light. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: My pleasure. Considering the production and distribution really enhances its cultural relevance.