's Lands Hospitaal / Paramaribo / Ned. Guyana 1934 - 1935

Augusta Curiel's photographic print, ‘s Lands Hospitaal / Paramaribo / Ned. Guyana, invites a journey through time. The sepia tones create a soft, almost dreamlike quality, and the buildings and grounds emerge gradually, as though pieced together in memory. The beauty of photography lies in its ability to capture light and shadow. Curiel skillfully uses both to define the forms of the buildings and trees. The texture feels almost velvety, inviting a touch. The light subtly shifts across the image, revealing the delicate gradations of tone. I'm drawn to the way the dark trees in the foreground frame the bright path leading into the distance, a journey into the unknown. Curiel’s work reminds me of Eugène Atget’s photographs of Paris, capturing the everyday urban landscape with an eye for detail and atmosphere. Like Atget, Curiel elevates the ordinary, transforming it into something extraordinary. Ultimately, this work is about seeing, remembering, and the quiet beauty of the world around us.