Ebony Furniture: The Distorted Image Circulation : Based on the study of the Dutch-Indonesia Colonial Context2024, Publication, Graduation Thesis
This research book, "Ebony Furniture: The Distorted Image Circulation - Based on the Study of the Dutch-Indonesia Colonial Context" is the culmination of a year-long study conducted prior to developing the image scavenger design. The primary aim was to understand how images, specifically those related to ebony furniture representing colonial heritage, were produced and preserved. Additionally, the book concludes with a critical analysis of how and when the Netherlands and Europe are currently addressing their colonial heritage. It also offers a perspective on the role that museums, as representative custodians of this heritage, should undertake within the context of decolonization.
1. Introduction
Throughout the annals of history, diverse cultures emerge organically and undergo a process of evolution, eventually fading away over protracted epochs. Particularly within the context of historical violence, asymmetric interactions engender a plethora of cultural vestiges, even within relatively brief temporal spans. Emblematic of such historical violence is the colonial legacy of Europe, which has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape. Within this framework, my objective is to delve into the cultural clash resulting from the multifaceted relationship between the Netherlands and Indonesia, with a focus on the medium of Ebony Furniture.
‘Colonial Desk and Stool’ designed by Toko Van de Pol, was made in Semarang, Indonesia in the 1930s. It is made entirely of Teak wood and partially made of ebony.1 As the title of this furniture set suggests, this was produced when the Netherlands was assigned to reside in Indonesia, a colony of the Netherlands, and was produced for Dutch officers at the time. If you remove the title and look at it, you won’t find much difference from the silhouettes of minimalist modern furniture designed and produced in the same period.
This furniture was crafted specifically for the utilization of Dutch officers affiliated with the Dutch Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (United East India Company or VOC), commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, and is designated as “Colonial” owing to its intended function and historical context.
Upon closer examination of the furniture caption, the description “Partly ebonized” is noted. Upon confirmation through a detailed inspection, It becomes evident that the original red-brown hue of the wood, with the outer coating peeling off, is revealed between the black edged. From this, it can be inferred that ebony wood was not directly used in its construction; the blackened appearance. What can be ascertained from this observation is that ebony wood was not directly employed in the manufacturing process, and the term “Ebonized” was deliberately chosen to underscore the distinctive attributes of black coloration, accentuating it as something noteworthy and unique.
“Partly Ebonized” may symbolize the significance attributed to the wood known as ebony over other design elements within the designation “Colonial Desk and Stool.” This implication suggests that the essence of ebony wood holds greater significance in defining the item than other aspects denoted by its colonial association.
In the case of the ‘Colonial Desk and Stool,’ the emphasis on the Ebony wood color and the socio-cultural connotations evoked by the term Colonial overshadowed the object’s internal value. Nevertheless, this particular piece was manufactured within a timeframe spanning merely a decade until 1941, coinciding with the official conclusion of Indonesia’s colonization. Consequently, its production in the final year needs to encapsulate the entirety of the colonial context, which spanned approximately 300 years. Consequently, efforts were made to explore additional visual representations stemming from the unique relationship between Dutch colonization and Indonesia. This endeavor centered on keywords such as colonial furniture and ebony, extrapolated from the analysis of the Colonial Desk and Stool piece.
During this exploration, I discovered the presence of black furniture adorned with Baroque design elements and intricately carved patterns, which was denoted as ‘Ebony Furniture’.Within this framework, my goal is to explore cultural clash events resulting from the multifaceted relationship between the Netherlands and Indonesia, focusing on the medium of furniture. This object resonates with numerous designs prevalent during the era of Europe’s dominant colonial empires (17th to 19th centuries) and the Dutch Golden Age (roughly 1588 to 1872), presenting an appearance that suggests the predominant use of ebony as the primary material.
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