Ontvangst te Paramaribo, 1912 Possibly 1912 - 1919

This is a photograph, "Ontvangst te Paramaribo," taken by Augusta Curiel in 1912, printed on paper. It captures a formal reception in Paramaribo, with a line of uniformed figures standing rigidly to attention. I can only imagine what it must have been like to lug around those early cameras. To frame a picture, to capture a world in shades of grey! Here, the light and shadow play across the scene, creating depth and texture. You can almost feel the humidity in the air. Curiel's composition really guides your eye across the scene. I wonder what Curiel was thinking as she framed this shot? Was she aware of the power dynamics at play, the colonial context of this reception? Or was she simply trying to capture a moment in time? So many questions, so much left unsaid. Photography, like painting, is a way of seeing, of interpreting the world around us. And Curiel, like all artists, leaves her mark on the image, inviting us to see the world through her eyes.