Speculaas Speculations
2022
Speculaas Speculations
This treat links the aesthetics of the Javanese Wayang puppets to the material of the Dutch Speculaas puppets as an aim to acknowledge our complicated interlinking histories while eating.
Presentation:
Wereld Museum ↗ 
Presentation:
Wereld Museum ↗
Speculaas Speculations
This treat links the aesthetics of the Javanese Wayang puppets to the material of the Dutch Speculaas puppets as an aim to acknowledge our complicated interlinking histories while eating.
Speculaas is generally seen as a Dutch national traditional treat, however its most important ingredients, the spices, all originally came from Java (a former colony of the Netherlands and birthplace of part of my family).
It raises questions around when something is national, traditional and how we can relate to this heritage.
The speculaas can be seen as an honest representation of Dutch colonial history, but how do we acknowledge this while eating ?
An experiment in eating as a political act.
Speculaas is generally seen as a Dutch national traditional treat, however its most important ingredients, the spices, all originally came from Java (a former colony of the Netherlands and birthplace of part of my family).
It raises questions around when something is national, traditional and how we can relate to this heritage.
The speculaas can be seen as an honest representation of Dutch colonial history, but how do we acknowledge this while eating ?
An experiment in eating as a political act.
The Speculaas cookie and its wooden cookiemold (‘koekenplank’) was presented as part of an alternative celebration of Sinterklaas, a dutch holiday with racist roots, organised by Tomoko Mukaiyama Foundation. ↗
Presentation:
Wereld Museum ↗
Presentation:
Wereld Museum ↗
Speculaas Speculations
This treat links the aesthetics of the Javanese Wayang puppets to the material of the Dutch Speculaas puppets as an aim to acknowledge our complicated interlinking histories while eating.
Speculaas is generally seen as a Dutch national traditional treat, however its most important ingredients, the spices, all originally came from Java (a former colony of the Netherlands, and birthplace of a part of my family).
It raises questions around when something is national, traditional and how we can relate to this heritage.
The speculaas can be seen as an honest representation of Dutch colonial history, but how do we acknowledge this while eating ?
An experiment in eating as a political act.
The tablecloth where the shadow play of the cookie wayang puppet is showed upon is appropriated from my other project ‘ Entro pies ’.
The table cloth is embroidered with leading questions and statements that work as a catalyst for conversation; ‘Dutch prosperity is build upon the exploitation of taste’, ‘How do you think our ancestors would feed us?’, ‘Your heritage is reflected in your domestic gestures’, ‘Where do the origins of ingredients meet the origins of culture?’
It raises questions around when something is national, traditional and how we can relate to this heritage.
The speculaas can be seen as an honest representation of Dutch colonial history, but how do we acknowledge this while eating ?
An experiment in eating as a political act.
The tablecloth where the shadow play of the cookie wayang puppet is showed upon is appropriated from my other project ‘ Entro pies ’.
The table cloth is embroidered with leading questions and statements that work as a catalyst for conversation; ‘Dutch prosperity is build upon the exploitation of taste’, ‘How do you think our ancestors would feed us?’, ‘Your heritage is reflected in your domestic gestures’, ‘Where do the origins of ingredients meet the origins of culture?’
The Speculaas cookie and its wooden cookiemold (‘koekenplank’) was presented as part of an alternative celebration of Sinterklaas, a dutch holiday with racist roots, organised by Tomoko Mukaiyama Foundation. ↗
Exhibition in the Wereld Museum.
