In de fotostudio van Kurkdjian te Soerabaja 1900 - 1915

This photograph, captured by Onnes Kurkdjian in his studio in Surabaya, presents an intriguing study in composition and form. The eye is immediately drawn to the dense arrangement of images that form the backdrop, with paintings and photographs layered upon the walls in a seemingly haphazard manner. This accumulation of images resists a singular focus, disrupting conventional notions of display and hierarchy. The photograph itself, with its sharp contrasts and detailed textures, becomes a complex field of signs. Each picture within the picture operates as a signifier, alluding to stories, places, and identities. Kurkdjian’s arrangement challenges fixed meanings, inviting us to consider how the relationship between the images and the individuals within the space creates an open structure of interpretation. The materiality of the photograph, with its tonal range, underscores the interplay between representation and reality, where the act of seeing becomes an active engagement with the cultural and philosophical implications embedded within the visual field.