Exterieur van een bungalow van de Deli Maatschappij in Brastagi op Sumatra c. 1900 - 1920

Curator: Looking at this photograph, taken sometime between 1900 and 1920, we see the exterior of a bungalow owned by the Deli Company in Brastagi, Sumatra. Editor: It’s quite serene, almost idyllic, yet the architecture feels somewhat out of place in the lush landscape. There's a dreamlike quality about it all, tinged with a melancholy that's hard to pin down. Curator: Yes, the bungalows represent a very specific moment in Sumatra's history. The Deli Company was a major player in the booming tobacco industry at the time. These bungalows weren't just homes, they were symbols of colonial power and economic dominance. They reflect the global flows of capital and people that shaped the region. Editor: Those stark black and white shutters and that geometrical trim—they're like symbols borrowed from a Western architectural lexicon, dropped into a landscape filled with its own equally rich but entirely different visual language. The architecture carries the weight of cultural imposition, a visual cue of colonial presence. Curator: Exactly. These homes also embody the complex social hierarchy of the colonial system. Think of who lived in these bungalows, their relationships with the local workforce, and the power dynamics at play. The very arrangement of space within and around these buildings reinforced those social structures. Editor: You’re right. Beyond the beautiful veranda, the image also holds shadows. The orderly architecture can also been seen to subtly oppress the native symbolism that would have marked the landscape before their arrival. I am fascinated how this scene represents both luxury and cultural erasure simultaneously. Curator: It makes you wonder, what stories do these walls hold? What aspirations and anxieties were embedded within the very walls and design of this residence? It's more than just a house; it's a statement about belonging and power. Editor: I agree. The composition, the contrasting shapes, textures... They speak volumes, creating this atmosphere. This image serves as a striking visual record, one layered with stories and imbued with cultural and psychological resonance. Curator: Absolutely. And that's why this seemingly simple landscape photograph becomes such a rich historical artifact, revealing complex layers about Sumatra’s colonial past and the visual narratives of power it perpetuated.