Tine Kleiterp-Vermeulen en haar kinderen Klaas en Tiny in een tuin in Pangka op Java 1921

Curator: This gelatin silver print, captured in 1921, offers an intimate glimpse into a family moment in Pangka, Java. The work is titled "Tine Kleiterp-Vermeulen en haar kinderen Klaas en Tiny in een tuin in Pangka op Java" which translates to Tine Kleiterp-Vermeulen and her children Klaas and Tiny in a garden in Pangka, Java. Editor: What strikes me first is the gentleness of it, the stillness. A sun-drenched garden, that simple white dress against the dark green grass, and that lovely old hat! The way the kids look… it feels almost like a sacred pause in time. Curator: Precisely. Photography, particularly portraits, became increasingly popular among European families living in colonial settings during this period. It was a way to maintain ties to their home culture while also documenting their experiences in a new land, solidifying social standing. Editor: Yes, it's definitely posed but doesn't feel stuffy at all. It is so incredibly intimate. All that bright sunlight. I can almost feel that Javanese air, thick and humid, sweet with the smell of blooming flowers. A powerful image to create nostalgia for home. Or perhaps just any home. Curator: The composition is certainly intriguing. The positioning of the mother and children creates a pyramid-like structure, grounding the image, which gives a sense of stability and continuity that mirrors the importance of family values during the colonial era. The details really draw you into this period’s representation. Editor: True, but the garden! Oh, to be lounging in a tropical garden! Even in black and white, I get the overwhelming feeling of the space as a character itself. It makes you realize we carry places with us always in memory. I wonder if that garden exists today... Or what these kids became. What a portal of lives in one photo. Curator: It’s a powerful sentiment to express the ties binding people and places. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Editor: Likewise, seeing a sliver of another person's life—especially so far away in time and place—makes one reflect on their own family stories. In essence it offers an opportunity to embrace humanity!