Waruga graven en Tau-Tau 1930s

This photographic collage titled ‘Waruga graven en Tau-Tau’ is an anonymous work, but one that gives us a lot to think about. I see these boxy, tomb-like structures, almost like minimalist sculptures in their own right. The artist might have been wandering with their camera, trying to capture a sense of place, a way to hold onto memory. I like imagining them walking around these grave sites, trying different angles, and dealing with the sun. The images themselves, in their square, slightly off-kilter framing, feel like little windows into another world. Look at how the light catches the stone, creating these stark contrasts and textures. It’s a very physical thing, photography – much like painting. And just like in painting, there’s a kind of alchemy happening here, a way of transforming the everyday into something meaningful. Photography and painting are always talking to one another - I see these images as a continuation of that conversation across time. Each medium helping us see, feel, and remember in new ways.