Tinzuigerinstallatie in aanbouw op tinonderneming te Soengeiliat c. 1900 - 1920

This photograph, taken by an anonymous artist, captures the construction of a tin dredging installation at Soengeiliat. The installation sits in water, its reflection creating an almost symmetrical composition, bisected by the horizon line. Looking at this image, I can only imagine the working conditions of the people building it. The sun beats down. The air is thick with humidity. What kind of conversations might they be having? What are their dreams? You can see all this industry, this construction, on top, but below, everything's dissolving. The reflections in the water soften and distort the sharpness above. It's like the solid and the ephemeral are meeting. The photograph feels grounded and yet, because of that reflection, it also feels fleeting, as if this whole scene could disappear at any moment. What’s left when a thing disappears? A memory.