Reflective Encounters

“In 1893, French artist Paul Gauguin painted his controversial portrait of the titular, Annah la Javanaise. To some it represents a foundational example of post-impressionist style, to others an ugly shrine to the horrific project of Western colonialism. It is this tension which Fatimah Tobing Rony probes in her film. Visually, the film recalls Gaugin’s paintings with expressive colours in fluid motion and wide-eyed characters that bring to mind a children’s film. A tricky tonal balance is struck, as the cutesy presentation seems to clash with serious themes of human exploitation. Yet it does reinforce that Annah is a child, and one whose naive worldview is forced to deal with untenable hardship. From her perspective we gain a firsthand look at how colonialism functions, seeking to strip indigenous people of their dignity and identity.

By reframing the perspective of the art piece, Rony presents the stark reality of the situation. The painting depicts a nude child, and as we hear about how Gaugin sexually abused Annah, what is often argued as a transcendent work celebrating indigenous beauty is revealed as the work of a paedophile.  There is something especially potent in the notion that uprooted and exploited indigenous people have been historically reduced to raw material for white art that remains celebrated today. If anything, Annah la Javanaise (2020) is a call for us to not let history erase the indigenous perspectives at the wrath of colonialism.”

— Matthew Chan