S.O. Goenoengsari. Societeit in aanbouw. 8 Maart 1927. 1927

Editor: This photograph, taken in 1927, shows the ‘S.O. Goenoengsari. Societeit in aanbouw’ during its construction. The grainy, black and white image captures a building site, seemingly somewhere tropical. I’m curious, what do you see in this piece beyond just a building under construction? Curator: What I see is a very telling image about Dutch colonialism and the making of social spaces. A "societeit," or society building, would have been a place of social gathering and leisure, but segregated, no doubt catering primarily to the European colonizers in the Dutch East Indies. Editor: So, it wasn't just about building a structure, but also about establishing a social hierarchy? Curator: Precisely. The act of construction itself becomes a performance of power, asserting a European presence through architecture and claiming space. Who do you think were the people on the scaffolding? Editor: Likely local laborers. It’s a stark visual reminder of the dynamics at play. The Europeans designed it, and local people built it. Curator: And consider the date, 1927. This photograph exists as a document of that colonial moment and the shaping of social spaces in colonized lands. The very act of documenting the building, through the photographic medium, further emphasized colonial control. What are your thoughts on its legacy? Editor: I hadn't considered the photograph as an extension of colonial power, it is unsettling, yet so relevant. It forces me to think about the unseen narratives embedded in seemingly simple architectural images. Curator: Exactly, seeing this image, knowing where and when it was taken, has taught me that photos can preserve more than just architectural details. They are the result of colonial and socio-economical landscapes, not impartial representations.