Group of ascetict displaying meditation-related actions. Pasir-Sinala Ciampea, Bogor distric- West Java province 14th - 16th century Possibly 1863 - 1864

Curator: What strikes you first about this gelatin silver print, "Group of ascetics displaying meditation-related actions," taken by Isidore Kinsbergen in Java, likely between 1863 and 1864? Editor: Melancholy. Utter melancholy. They look abandoned, worn by time, somehow resigned to their fate, even in stillness. Curator: That feeling stems, perhaps, from how it shows us not only ancient sculptures – from the 14th to 16th centuries - but how they have persisted through the ages. Each displays unique meditation-related actions associated with Pasir-Sinala, Ciampea, in West Java Province. Editor: You almost want to touch them. They’re begging to be rediscovered! I also notice they all look to be in various states of... disrepair. Why photograph them like this, as a group, broken? Curator: Photography was often deployed as a kind of visual cataloging then. Perhaps to inventory a fading past? The arrangement mimics their arrangement in situ at Pasir-Sinala. This particular setup draws attention to the passage of time and cyclical notions of destruction and renewal so prevalent in Eastern philosophical thought. The missing heads could represent loss of identity, yet the bodies, even worn, retain power and serenity. Editor: Serenity achieved only through the relentless battering of time, no doubt. To have found stillness amid chaos... a pretty useful lesson. And maybe the photograph captures the truth that perfection is fleeting and only truly found in a kind of balanced imperfection. Curator: I agree wholeheartedly. This photo reminds us of our responsibility to protect these historical emblems and their associated traditions. The way these meditation practices are conveyed to viewers through posture and position is striking. Editor: Well, that's a sentiment that really, really resonates. An almost forgotten lesson in this age. I'm deeply moved.