De gasfabriek van Surabaya 1876 - 1884

Here we see a photographic print by Herman Salzwedel, depicting the gas factory of Surabaya. Its sepia tones speak to the albumen process used, which involves coating paper with egg whites and silver nitrate to create a light-sensitive surface. Consider the social and cultural implications of this image. It documents a modern industrial facility, likely built by Dutch colonizers in Indonesia. Note the stark contrast between the factory’s rigid, geometric forms and the natural, untamed landscape surrounding it. The factory’s tall chimney looms over the landscape, asserting dominance and control. This image highlights the impact of industrialization on colonized lands, and the way photography was employed to document and celebrate technological progress. The photograph itself becomes a tool of power, capturing and framing the landscape for Western consumption, reducing the local population to mere bystanders.