Gezicht op Kesawanstraat in Medan, Sumatra (Kesawanstrasse von Norden gesehen) c. 1890 - 1900

This albumen print, titled "Gezicht op Kesawanstraat in Medan, Sumatra", was made by Stafhell & Kleingrothe. Its sepia tones and the rich blacks of the shadows give it a timeless quality. The materiality of photography is critical here. The image captures a moment in the history of Medan, revealing the social and labor practices of the time. Water buffalo are pictured pulling carts through the streets, evidence of animal labor for transportation of goods. The buildings, too, suggest the influence of Dutch colonial architecture, representing structures built by laborers. The very act of creating this image involves both labor and class. The photographer had to have access to both photographic equipment and chemical supplies, and then would have developed the print using darkroom techniques, a laborious process of mixing and manipulating chemicals to produce the final print. This image is a potent reminder that photography, like all forms of making, is deeply intertwined with social, economic, and political forces.