Theefabriek Kertamanah gebouwd door Machinefabriek Braat Soerabaia 1934 1934

This black and white photograph shows the Theefabriek Kertamanah, or tea factory, built in 1934 by Machinefabriek Braat Soerabaia. When I look at this image, I think about the relationship between industry and art. Someone, an anonymous photographer, decided this building was worth capturing. They chose a specific angle, framing, and exposure. What were they thinking? What made them want to record this factory? I see the geometry of the building, the play of light and shadow, the composition of lines and shapes. It's all very deliberate. It makes me wonder, did the photographer see beauty in the functional design? I imagine they saw the factory not just as a place of work, but as a kind of industrial cathedral. Artists and photographers, we're always building on each other's work, finding new ways to see the world. Even in a tea factory. Even in industry.