Pagina 32 en 33 van fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

Editor: This is a page from a photo book by J.W. Meyster, dating back to the mid-1920s, showcasing the Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters on the East Coast of Sumatra. What jumps out to me is how directly informative it is; one page shows a printed graph while the other holds a block of dense text. What strikes you when you look at this, something of a document of its time? Curator: The dryness is fascinating, isn't it? At first glance, the graph feels sterile, devoid of emotion. Yet, think about rubber at that time: tires, machinery, progress… and for whom? This statistical ascent, presented in such an unemotional way, belies a history drenched in exploitation, obscured from view. This almost scientific depiction normalizes that history. What do you think the intention behind its inclusion would have been? Editor: To showcase the success of the rubber plantations, obviously! To impress shareholders, maybe entice investment, all conveyed with what seems to be objective data? Curator: Precisely. And perhaps reassure themselves. Creating a sense of order and progress could be a form of denial of the true human cost. It’s almost like the data itself is acting as a kind of… shield. You know, when I look at it now, I wonder about the person tasked with compiling these figures, completely unaware of the complicated layers of meaning they were creating. Did they ever imagine future audiences considering it not as a triumph, but as an indicator of profound, uncomfortable truths? Editor: I never considered it that way! So, it's not just a factual account, but a piece that indirectly shows a dark side of industry and colonialism. I will certainly consider printed matter in a completely new way. Thank you. Curator: You are welcome! History and numbers rarely tell the full story, that's for certain.