Spoorwegemplacement bij suikerfabriek Meritjan te Kediri op Java c. 1925 - 1930

This photograph by Isken captures a railway yard at the Meritjan sugar factory in Kediri, Java. The sepia tones and the industrial subject matter give the piece a historic feel, speaking to the modernization of sugar production during that era. The focus here isn't on traditional artistic materials but on the raw materials of industry and agriculture – the iron of the train, the harvested sugarcane itself. These materials speak volumes about the social context. The image portrays a colonial landscape, where raw materials were extracted through the labor of local populations. The railway, a symbol of progress, also represents a system of extraction and exploitation. The photograph invites us to think about the labor involved in the scene, the workers who cultivated and transported the sugarcane. Ultimately, this image challenges us to consider the intersections of industrial progress, colonial power, and the lived experiences of those who labored in its service.