Hek rond een Banzadorp nabij Bogolo 1896

Franz Thonner captured this image, "Hek rond een Banzadorp nabij Bogolo", with a camera, presenting a stark, monochromatic view of a village entrance. The composition is dominated by horizontal lines of the fence, cutting across the dense, vertical growth of the surrounding foliage. The texture is rough, almost primal, evoking a sense of enclosure and perhaps even constraint. The fence acts as a structural barrier but also as a signifier of boundary and control. The choice of black and white flattens the image, reducing depth and emphasizing the interplay between light and shadow. This reduction invites us to consider the photograph not merely as a record, but as a constructed representation. Ultimately, the photograph compels us to question what is being included, and excluded, through the framing of the image. The formal elements of line, texture, and composition work together to create a sense of unease, prompting reflection on the power dynamics inherent in documenting and representing unfamiliar cultures.