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

This black and white photograph titled S.O. Goenoengsari. Centrifugestation was captured on August 20th, 1927, by Isken. What strikes me first is the sheer density of the image, all of those beams and pipes, receding into the distance! The greyscale palette, ranging from almost-white to solid black, imbues the scene with a stark, almost architectural quality. The interplay between light and shadow creates a dynamic surface, lending depth and volume to the two-dimensional plane. There's a tactile quality to the image, despite its photographic nature; you can almost feel the cold, smooth metal of the pipes and the rough texture of the concrete floor. Look at how the light is used, streaming down from the roof to illuminate the space, revealing the complex network of machinery. You could almost imagine something by Bernd and Hilla Becher, their typologies of industrial buildings. It's this kind of ongoing conversation about form, function, and documentation that makes art so endlessly fascinating to me. It shows how artists see, think and experience the world!