Fotoalbum Tjomal suikerfabriek (vóór 1919) c. 1900s - 1910s

This photo album, 'Tjomal Sugar Factory', was made anonymously, probably before 1919. It reminds me a little of Gerhard Richter's 'Atlas' project, or maybe even some work by Christian Boltanski. What is it about these anonymous, archival projects that grabs me so much? Maybe it's the chance encounters, the beautiful, accidental compositions and the sense of time passing. I like to imagine the marks on the cover as a kind of abstract painting in their own right. Little splashes of white and ochre have accumulated on the surface, creating a Jackson Pollock-esque effect. This kind of thing is beautiful to me, because it asks us to think about what we value and what we consider to be art. An old album, covered in stains, can have as much emotional resonance as a carefully composed painting. Maybe more, even.