Overvolle aanmerende boot bij de Willemskade in Surabaya. 1900 - 1935

Editor: So, this photo, taken sometime between 1900 and 1935 by Neville Keasberry, depicts an overloaded boat at the Willemskade in Surabaya. There's a real sense of bustling activity here. It looks incredibly crowded, almost precarious. What do you notice, what does it tell you? Curator: The chaos is precisely what sings to me. Think of the stories held within that boat! It feels like a visual poem about journeys, about hopes, about perhaps the sheer necessity of movement in a place like Surabaya at that time. This image feels caught, a snippet of an ongoing human story, don’t you think? The contrast of light and dark, how it reflects on the water, almost suggests an internal world mirroring the outer scene, so still despite the rush. Editor: It does create a feeling of immediacy. Are there details that hint at its historical context? Curator: Absolutely! Look at the architecture in the background. It gives us a peek into the colonial influence shaping the urban landscape. The boat itself, and the sheer number of people crammed in, hints at the social dynamics and transportation norms of the era. One wonders where are they going, what their dreams look like… Does it trigger such fancies in you too? Editor: It does, imagining that journey… Maybe a trip to the market. I never really considered the layers captured within one old photograph. It’s more than just a scene; it’s a story waiting to be unpacked. Curator: Exactly! Art has this delicious habit of being so much more than what appears at first glance. I will be contemplating those dreams for sometime… Thank you!