the Dollhouse (film)

For decades, the attic of the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam housed a number of life-size dolls – forgotten and covered in dust, until Blokland discovered their special history. Made in 1938 by German doll maker Käthe Kruse, who the museum had commissioned, they became the embodiment of the Dutch colonies at the 1939 World Exhibition in New York. In this ‘Reproduction of Family Part 5: The Dollhouse’ (2019), I reflect on the history and role of props in museum productions in relation to colonial histories. By closely examining the deteriorated skin of these dolls, worn down by the passage of time, and exploring their historical context, I  want to offer a critical narrative that gives voice to these forgotten colonial artifacts. I want to create transparancy about the ideologies underlying their creation and presentation, challenging the role of museums as producers of ‘culture’ in colonial and post-colonial contexts, through this work, I aim to provoke reflection on the ethics and implications of museum practices in representing colonial legacies .

The Dollhouse.  year :2020.  duration : 22 min