Gezicht in de Souk el-Trouk in de Medina van Tunis, rechts de winkel van de Barbouchi Frères 1860 - 1900

Curator: Stepping into this photograph feels like stepping back in time. This is "Gezicht in de Souk el-Trouk in de Medina van Tunis, rechts de winkel van de Barbouchi Frères"—or a view in the Souk el-Trouk in the Medina of Tunis, with the Barbouchi Brothers' shop on the right—a gelatin silver print, taken sometime between 1860 and 1900 by J. André Garrigues. Editor: Oh, there's such a captivating, almost dreamy stillness to it. It’s the kind of quiet you can almost hear, a gentle hum that underlies bustling activity, don't you think? A peaceful feeling under those archways, where light fades. Curator: Exactly! And formally, that contrast—the deep shadows framing the brilliantly lit tunnel of arches—draws your eye right down the corridor of the souk. It's a masterclass in perspective and composition. Note how the photographer uses the architecture, those repeating arches, to create a powerful sense of depth. Editor: Yes, the arches become a frame within a frame, inviting our gaze but also keeping a mysterious depth where everything disappears and nothing exists but potential! I keep wanting to go down that rabbit hole, the heart beating faster at the suggestion of the great mysteries of a very old, faraway culture. I wonder about each person lingering in the frame... Curator: It certainly invites speculation. And that's a part of what makes these Orientalist images so compelling and problematic all at once. We look at these figures—merchants and passersby, seemingly frozen in time—and try to construct their narratives. Notice the attention to detail in the Barbouchi shop; Garrigues captures textures, commodities on display, hinting at commerce. Editor: Right, all that tantalizing, almost-touchable materiality! I'm curious about the photographer’s position, squatting slightly to create the sweeping feeling of never-ending repetition and the invitation to fall down into an irresistible wonderland. Is it true that we only ever seek places to feel this depth in modern society? It may be more than meets the eye… Curator: Indeed, this work encapsulates so much about photography’s dual nature: its ability to document and its susceptibility to romanticize or exoticize the subject. Editor: Garrigues captures so beautifully both what’s seen, a bustling and colourful street of faces, noises, things, smells; but most important it is able to communicate what cannot be put into words, felt. That’s photography for you.