Putting on a show; Collecting, exhibiting and performing wayang at the Tropenmuseum from colonial times until the present

The Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam has a rich history in collecting, exhibiting and presenting wayangperformances. This paper traces this history of collection, exhibition and performance practice of wayangat the Colonial Institute, from 1949 known as Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from colonial times until the present. It demonstrates the entanglement of colonial and postcolonial power structures, collection and exhibition legacies of the colonial past. The paper will show that from the moment wayangpuppets entered the museum’s collection there has been continuous interaction between collecting and exhibition practices and performance practices. The emphasis on tangible elements of performance practice in collection and exhibition practices contributed to a dominant and static understanding of wayang.