Kist bij fotoalbum over de suikerindustrie en topografie van Java 1876 - 1884

This wooden box, made by Van Arcken & Co., once contained a photo album documenting the sugar industry and topography of Java. We can consider it as a container of visual knowledge, one that provides a window into the colonial era and the Dutch East Indies. The photographs within would have captured landscapes transformed by sugar plantations, reflecting the economic structures imposed by Dutch colonizers. The sugar industry was a crucial component of the colonial economy in Java, one that deeply impacted the land and its people. The box embodies the institutional and economic structures of the time, serving as a container for images that both document and perpetuate the power dynamics of colonial rule. Understanding this artwork requires delving into the archives, examining historical records, and exploring the complex legacy of colonialism in Java. The meaning of this container hinges on the social and institutional context it represents.