Fotoalbum met 24 foto's van de reis van legertelegrafist D.T. Dalton door Tibet

This photo album, made by D.T. Dalton, a military telegrapher, probably around the turn of the century, is like a quiet, closed world. The cover, with its subdued brown and formal decoration, hints at the precious cargo within. It’s so interesting to think about the materiality of this object – a physical thing someone carried with them across Tibet. I imagine Dalton carefully placing each photograph, deciding on their order, creating a narrative through images. The texture of the cover looks smooth but worn and comforting. The dark ink floral embellishments adds a touch of formality, a framing of something important. And what secrets does it hold? What did Dalton choose to capture, and what did he leave out? The act of selecting, arranging, and preserving transforms simple observation into storytelling. Like the work of Moyra Davey, this album reminds us that art and life are these overlapping, incomplete stories.