Interieur van de fabriek van de suikeronderneming Nieuw Tersana, Cheribon, voormalig Nederlands-Indië c. 1890 - 1935

This photograph captures the interior of the Nieuw Tersana sugar factory in Cheribon, a former Dutch colony, and was taken by Onnes Kurkdjian. The grayscale palette emphasizes the textures of metal and masonry, creating a palpable sense of the factory's industrious atmosphere. The composition reveals a dense network of pipes and machinery, leading the eye through a complex, almost labyrinthine, space. The artist uses the structural elements of the factory—the soaring roof, the vertical tanks, and the horizontal lines of the pipework—to create a visual rhythm. This rhythm is not just aesthetic; it speaks to the repetitive, mechanized processes inherent in industrial production. The photograph raises questions about power structures and colonial economies, hinting at how spaces are organized to control production and labor. The factory, as depicted, becomes a signifier of industry, progress, and perhaps, exploitation, inviting us to contemplate the cultural and economic implications embedded within this structured environment.