Groote materialengoedang. (Mei 1926.) 1926

This photograph, taken in May 1926 by an anonymous photographer, captures the construction of a large materials warehouse, perhaps somewhere in the Dutch East Indies. I look at this and wonder what it was like to be there. It is interesting how photographs can be documents, yet can still suggest an inner world like a painting. The photograph has captured a flat, grey light which softens the scene and makes it feel quiet, pensive even. I think of the photographer, framing the scene carefully, thinking about how to capture the scale and ambition of the construction. There is something very satisfying in the way the strong lines of the warehouse contrast with the more organic shapes of the surrounding field. Think of all the pictures that have been taken since 1926, and the many unseen pictures taken before. It’s an ongoing exchange of ideas across time, inspiring creativity.