Houtvlot op de Surinamerivier 1913 - 1930

This stereo image of a raft on the Surinamerivier, by Theodoor Brouwers, uses a very limited palette to evoke the humid atmosphere. It feels like a memory, less seen than felt. The composition is split horizontally into thirds, and the tones used mirror each other, darker tones above and below, with a lighter band in the center. There is no relief from the darkness, it feels heavy and oppressive. The details are obscured by this tonal uniformity, making the raft hard to distinguish from the river, or the sky from the jungle. Look at the top left corner of the right hand image. The emulsion is damaged, revealing the clear film beneath. It reminds me of the way Cy Twombly would ‘scratch’ into the surface of his paintings, excavating the surface to reveal the history of the mark. Maybe this accidental mark is just another reminder that all images are made, not found.