Telling en registratie van dode ratten in Malang 1900 - 1935

This photograph, “Telling en registratie van dode ratten in Malang”, was taken by Neville Keasberry. The muted tones of black and white give this scene a stark quality, drawing attention to the textures. Look at the way the light catches the rough, thatched roof. You can almost feel the dryness of the material. The composition leads us to the people inside the building, and then to the various items outside it. The texture of the logs and parcels stacked in the foreground, which are almost tangible, juxtaposes the softer focus of the vegetation. The choice of monochrome is significant here, as it strips away the distraction of colour, leaving the viewer to focus on the content and form. Like in the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who were interested in typologies, Keasberry's work emphasizes observation. This piece isn’t just about documenting, it's about seeing, and feeling, the world through a very particular lens.