When we combine different places, where do we stand in nature? A conversation with my brother.
"We are standing in a Dutch landscape painting, the mountains represent Italy and the sky represents Ghana."
"Okay but where did Senegal go?"
"This picture of you and me was taken in Senegal, we are right there in Senegal, don't you see?"
"Yes I know Marijke, I remember, but how will anyone else know?"
"They don't have to know, we know and that's enough. When people look at us, do you think they see every place we've come from on our faces? They don't, but we know our journey. We can tell them about it, but what do people really see after we tell them? They don't see with our eyes, they don't see with our memories. It's ours to know, isn't it?"
"Why do you always speak in this strange way? Why are you so strange?"
"Okay but aren't we all a little strange? What does it even mean to be normal?"
"Marijke..."
"As I was saying before, you and I are dressed in the Dutch and Ghanaian flags that mom made for us for International Day at school. We are representing the two countries we come from."
"Yes I can see that and I remember. Where is Olivier?"
"He wasn't in the picture"
"I know"
"But you asked, and he wasn't even going to school yet...anyway, this collage is about the different natural landscapes we experienced growing up. You can view it like a combination of memories in one space or you know when you dream about being in one country but you are also experiencing a combination of different places at the same time? Do you ever have these kinds of dreams?"
"Maybe, I don't remember my dreams."
"Right, well."
"Also, why nature, why didn't you put the different cities we lived in? Takoradi, Dakar, Rome? Purmerend or even Amsterdam?"
"I never lived in Amsterdam."
"I know but it would be strange to put Purmerend wouldn't it? Amsterdam would be much more interesting and it's not so far from Purmerend."
"But that wouldn't be reality."
"How is this even reality though? We didn't grow up in nature, are those even really the mountains at Campo Felice where we went to snowboard and stuff with dad? Remember how bad you were at snowboarding? Oh my God! Remember that one time when your pants fell down as you were attempting get on your board?! Also... since when do you care so much about nature?"
"Jesus Rob! Don't remind me about the pants thing. And also, I care about nature! Why do you think I moved to France?! To literally be around nature!!!"
"Okay so why didn't you include France in your collage?"
"Rob, are you serious right now? This collage is about the places we grew up around and we experienced together. Don't you dare tell me again that we didn't grow up in nature. I know that! But we did experience nature, the mountains like you said, the hills in Ghana, the summer holidays in the Netherlands before we moved there, walking in those little forests, the national parks of Senegal. Yes we are city people, but dad made sure we always spent weekends and holidays exploring some kind of nature"
"Yeah okay you're right."
"So what do you think about it?"
"Your collage?"
"Yes my collage"
"Why is Ghana represented by the Kente cloth in the sky and not real nature? It's nice but why?"
"Oh my God Rob, you know what, forget it. Let's drop this."
"I thought you wanted my opinion on your art?"
"No, not anymore."
"Marijke, you know I'm just teasing you right?"
"I know."
"When I come visit you in France with Jessie, will you take us to some nature spots?"
"Yeah of course. When are you thinking of coming to France? Olivier's already been here, mom and dad too. You're the only one who hasn't visited me yet"
"Hopefully next year"
"You say that every year"
"I know"
"Hey, before you go, listen to this song. I think it could fit this collage."
"It better not be something weird like the Strokes or those other strange bands you used to listen to back in Rome."
"Leave the Strokes out of this."
Digital collage 'There is us and bringing nature together' uses Europeana resources: Mountains by James Fraser from Wellcome Collection, Kente rug from National Museum of World Cultures, Montagne non identificate by Mario Gabinio from Photographic Archive of Civic Museums of Turin, Dutch Landscape by Victor Westerholm from Finnish National Gallery and Dressed in flags - From Senegal to Italy, via Ghana and the Netherlands by Marijke from Europeana Foundation.