Fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) by J.W. Meyster

Fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.)

c. 1924 - 1925

J.W. Meyster's Profile Picture

J.W. Meyster

1887 - 1945

Location

Rijksmuseum
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Artwork details

Medium
photography
Dimensions
height 250 mm, width 660 mm, width 330 mm, thickness 48 mm
Location
Rijksmuseum
Copyright
Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Tags

#still-life-photography#book#photography

About this artwork

This photo book was made by J.W. Meyster, for the Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters, or AVROS. The physical construction of this book—the binding, paper stock, and photographic prints—speaks to the industrialization of both agriculture and image-making in the early 20th century. The book's materials are straightforward, but they belie a complex story. Rubber plantations in Sumatra were a major economic force, powered by exploited labor. The book, therefore, becomes a kind of industrial product itself, a document of capital. Consider the way photographs were reproduced at the time. Each image required chemical processing and standardized printing methods. This is distinct from a unique work of art, like a painting or sculpture; it is inherently linked to mass production. This book invites us to consider how labor, materials, and modes of production shape our understanding of both art and industry.

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