Moved emotionally and inquisitively by an extensive archive I inherited from my father, I began to feel the need to understand my connection to him and his personal journey. One part of this archive consists of his original negatives and photographs taken just after the end of World War Two from 1947-1950. These images of Southeast Sumatra, then known as part of the Dutch East Indies, form the basis of this exhibition, Voor Koningin en Vaderland/For Queen and Country. As a professional photographer I find that his images are poignant and tell a story deeper than what is initially perceived. The process of piecing together his images and memoirs is like putting together a puzzle, constructing a view through his eyes and mind, just as the young soldiers did in finding their purpose. Their puzzle entailed walking the mazes of jungles, encountering with native villagers, and resolving why Dutch soldiers were occupying these beautiful islands.

Hedwig M. Heerschop
2010