Weg met huizen, mogelijk woningen op een plantage in Nederlands-Indië c. 1920 - 1930

Curator: This photograph, entitled "Weg met huizen, mogelijk woningen op een plantage in Nederlands-Indië", or, "Away with houses, possibly dwellings on a plantation in the Dutch East Indies," was taken by Klaas (I) Kleiterp between 1920 and 1930. It's a silver gelatin print capturing a plantation landscape. Editor: Right. It has this strange, melancholic stillness. Like a dream fading at the edges. All that muted grey just pulls you in, then stops you short, cold, as the vast, undefined landscape rolls before you. The houses appear secondary, almost ghostly against the backdrop of lush greenery. Curator: Indeed. Kleiterp's photography contributes to our understanding of Dutch colonialism and its visual representations. The photograph showcases the aesthetic preferences of the colonizers and their influence on landscape portrayal and local living conditions. Editor: Living conditions! Here we are again. It is just never that simple, is it? When I view these houses, neat as they appear, nestled within an expanse carefully sculpted and kept... it gives one a disturbing feeling, all in grey scale! One always senses a narrative of conquest, however subtly cloaked. A stolen breath in what was already there, what already bloomed. Curator: Absolutely, this tension between natural beauty and colonial imposition permeates much of the Orientalist photography of the period. One must critically examine whose perspective this so-called beautiful scenery is meant for, which social classes benefit, who defines what "away with houses" actually entails and whether such actions improved the standard of life. Editor: Which homes were demolished? For whom were new buildings built? By whom were these homes constructed? These houses sitting among the vegetation almost seem superimposed on the scene, as though they do not fully integrate. Look, here, but don't dwell. I hate that feeling of displacement, both geographic and psychological, and here it's nearly suffocating. Curator: That’s a crucial point to consider. What’s seen, what's omitted, and how the entire visual is being interpreted shapes the image. This all forms an ideological reflection. Editor: Reflecting a dark side, that lurks like a shadow on even the sunniest of days. It causes one to consider. Photography should show more. And this one sure delivers!