S.O. Goenoengsari. Ketelbattery. 30-4-27. 1927

This photograph, taken on April 30, 1927, captures the Ketelbattery at S.O. Goenoengsari. The industrial scene, with its skeletal metal structures and robust machinery, presents a fascinating, if stark, vision of progress. Consider the furnace. The gaping mouth of the furnace, an opening that could be traced back to the forges of Vulcan, god of fire and metalworking. This opening is repeated throughout art history, each appearance subtly altering its resonance. In medieval art, the mouth of hell yawns open, ready to swallow the damned. Here, it's refigured into a source of industry, of potential wealth. The interplay of light and shadow in this image conveys a sense of the sublime, a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. This is a visual encoding of humanity’s ongoing relationship with fire and industry, a connection that has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings throughout different historical contexts.