Opslagplaats voor tin 1900 - 1922

Curator: This gelatin-silver print, "Opslagplaats voor tin," or "Storage place for tin," by Robert Julius Boers, sometime between 1900 and 1922, is quite evocative. The muted tones create a somber mood. All of the little crates arranged across the land reminds me of a burial ground or open air processing plant. What draws your eye? Editor: Well, seeing all of those crates arranged identically does makes me think about manufacturing and manual labour. But it all appears to be happening outdoors in open air and sunshine. How does that reflect realism as a genre? Curator: Think of realism not merely as representing what is seen, but as a depiction of everyday life, the world of labor, of industry and of production. Here, Boers presents a very specific and very material reality: the industrial landscape of tin production. Consider the labor involved – extracting, refining, and then the careful arrangement of all this material. Editor: That’s fascinating. It recontextualizes the work. It moves beyond just the visual to the process behind it. So the orderliness speaks to something, even a global market. Curator: Exactly! And the choice of photography, particularly gelatin-silver print, speaks to a desire for reproducibility and wide distribution. This image could be disseminated to investors, consumers, or even colonial administrators. What statement does that say to a Western audience looking at industry in colonized lands? Editor: I see how choosing this medium emphasizes the practical side, shifting our attention away from the artistic decisions to the industry itself. Looking at art from the material and labour that goes into it really gives me something new to look for when touring exhibits. Curator: Indeed. It encourages a critical awareness of the structures that shape our world, even within the seemingly simple image of stacked materials.