Volwassen rubberbomen van de onderneming Batang Serangang op Sumatra c. 1900 - 1920

This photograph, of mature rubber trees on the Batang Serangan plantation in Sumatra, captures a specific moment in time with monochromatic tones. It's a reminder that artmaking, even in photography, is about decisions, what to include, what to leave out, and how to frame the world. Looking at the texture, the way the light catches the trunks of the trees, you can almost feel the humidity and the density of the air. There’s a stark contrast between the foreground, with its almost bleached-out path, and the deep, receding darkness of the forest. The anonymous photographer, by choosing this particular composition, is directing our gaze, and shaping our experience of this place. It reminds me a little bit of some of Gerhard Richter’s grayscale landscapes – that same sense of detachment, combined with an undeniable beauty. It's a conversation across time, across mediums, about how we see, and what we choose to remember. There is something beautiful and unsettling about this image.