Exploitation for Decoration.

This exhibition unravels the journey of materials historically sought for their opulence and explores how their refinement has depended on the exploitation of both ecosystems and marginalized communities.

We begin with the Dutch whaling campaigns in the Arctic,
which rapidly depleted whale populations and disrupted Indigenous
lifeways that had long practiced sustainable subsistence hunting. In pursuit of profit, European powers industrialized whaling, reducing those beings to bone and luxury by-products. Baleen—prized for its ivory-like sheen and flexibility—was crafted into corsets, caskets, and decorative portraits, such as the medallions. These objects, once symbols of wealth and refinement, now serve as haunting relics of extractive colonial economies.

The exhibition moves from the 17th century to the present, bridging past and present patterns of consumption. Whether it is baleen corsets or designer handbags, the pursuit of aesthetic luxury continues to rely on the labor of distant others and the depletion of natural resources. Contemporary artworks challenge our moral boundaries, echoing historical injustices in today’s fashion, art, and consumer industries.

We try to speak to a diverse audience: privileged consumers, tourists in Amsterdam, and anyone interested in the intersections of colonial history, sustainability, and ethics. We invite you to look closely! Not just at the objects on display, but at the systems they represent.
As you leave, we hope you carry a sharpened awareness: luxury is not neutral. The aesthetics we consume often carry the weight of lives and environments shaped, harmed, or erased in the name of beauty.

Yet, we can redefine beauty. Through care, accountability, and responsible imagination.

Contemporary Art Works:

We want to extend our gratitude to the Amsterdam Museum for their open and warm welcome and to the museum’s curator, Tom van der Molen, for his invaluable time and effort in supporting our project and providing valuable and critical background information about the whalebone portraits. :)

(Sources)

Mini Help Guide :

- Familiarize yourself with the STORIES we wish to tell, as well as modern ARTWORK, by CLICKING ON THE TITLES
- If a VISUAL IMAGE does not already have a description, click on it, too!
- Use the portrait plaque in the CORNER as a Home Page button