Through different eyes
Museum Bronbeek, Arnhem (NL), 2024
Museum Bronbeek’s permanent exhibition ‘Through the Eyes of…’ provides a distinct scholarly analysis of the Dutch colonial presence in Indonesia alongside personal historical narratives from a variety of perspectives.
Photography: (c) Ministerie van Defensie
Sound scholarship, multiple points of view
Bronbeek is a veterans’ home and part of the Dutch Ministry of Defence. It is an emotionally charged location for a museum that addresses an emotionally charged subject. Working with Bronbeek and Opera Amsterdam and using our Emotion Design method, we looked for the best way to present a painful history. The exhibition sets concrete historical facts alongside personal stories and contemporary reflections. Its range of perspectives spurs visitors to think cautiously and with an open mind.
Thematic analysis
The exhibition explores six themes in six galleries, from colonial rule and everyday life in the archipelago to the Indonesian war for independence and the period that followed. It shows how inequality, exploitation and structural violence formed the basis of the Dutch colonial system. Extensive attention is paid to the perspectives of the Indonesian population and other non-western groups in colonial society.
Metaphors and personal encounters
In each gallery, a spatial, metaphorical installation containing historical collections provides a focal point. A pyramid of objects makes the hierarchy of the colonial system visible; a maze of semitransparent compartments represents apartheid in Indonesia. The exhibition’s components offer different perspectives on each theme. In the intimate Object Theatres, the Indonesian stories hiding behind objects are brought to life. The Mirror Portraits place historical individuals from different backgrounds opposite each other. Visitors can take a seat in the College to learn from contemporary scholars.
A unified whole
As content designers, we had a hand in the exhibition design, text editing, and media content direction. So we were able to ensure that all the exhibition’s content fits together as a whole and that its elements work together seamlessly to tell the story clearly and factually. We chose a factual approach specifically with the aim of spurring visitors to think cautiously and with open minds.
“The museum paints a picture of a period in our history that makes you think. And it does it very well.”
Dirk Stenekes, Google Reviews – July 2024
Credits
Client
Museum BronbeekContent design
Studio LouterSpatial design
Opera AmsterdamAudiovisual
ShoshoConstruction
HypsosHardware
YellowstoneExternal project management
Joep Schellekens, Frederike Huijgen