Theefabriek Kertamanah gebouwd door Machinefabriek Braat Soerabaia 1934 1934

This black and white photograph of Theefabriek Kertamanah, a tea factory, was built in 1934 in Soerabaia by Machinefabriek Braat. There's something about the light and shadow here that makes me think about painting, especially the way the darks aren't really black, but a whole range of grays. I like how the bare bones of the building are exposed. It feels like you're seeing the process of making, not just the finished thing. The photograph is pasted onto an old album page that has aged, yellowed over time. Focusing on a close crop, the text at the bottom of the photograph, meticulously typeset, presents us with an almost abstract pattern of contrasting textures. The overall impression reminds me of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, the way they cataloged industrial structures with such careful precision. But like any good artwork, it's more about the questions it raises than any easy answers.