S.O. Goenoengsari. Centrifugestation. 20-8-27. 1927 - 1928

This black and white photograph, "S.O. Goenoengsari. Centrifugestation. 20-8-27," by Isken, captures an industrial scene from what looks like the late twenties. Looking at this image, I think about the act of photographing itself. What was Isken thinking as they framed this shot? I feel a sense of curiosity about the forms of industrial architecture, like the rhythm of the steel beams and the snaking pipes, and the way they create this strange, almost eerie order in the space. The light seems to pour in from above, accentuating the textures and surfaces. It also flattens the image, creating depth and drawing attention to the graphic qualities of the structures. There is a lot of visual information here, and I wonder if Isken also experienced that, and, in capturing it, if they weren't perhaps laying the groundwork for future explorations of abstraction and form. There is something incredibly painterly in the way Isken composes this photograph.