Pagina 39 van fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

This photograph, "Page 39 from a photo book of the General Association of Rubber Planters on the East Coast of Sumatra" by J.W. Meyster, invites a way of seeing based on industry and perhaps exploitation. The sepia tones and sharp focus give it a documentary feel, but it's the texture of the building that really grabs me. You can almost feel the rough, woven surfaces. Look at the way the light catches the thatched roof! Those deep shadows create a pattern of light and dark that’s almost abstract. Then you notice the guy in white, perched on the steps, a lonely, almost ghostly, figure. That figure is a reminder of the human element in this landscape, but also the imbalance of power inherent in a colonial context. It makes me think of other artists, like Allan Sekula, who use photography to unpack complex social and political narratives. Art’s always a conversation, right?