De eerste zaal van het Hospitaal Batak Instituut te Kaban Djahe (box-systeem) 1928

This image, taken at the Hospitaal Batak Instituut in 1928, uses a black and white palette that really emphasizes the play of light and shadow, drawing you into the space. It's almost like a stage set, right? The texture of the photograph itself, the way it’s adhered to the page, gives it a tactile quality. The eye is led down the corridors, emphasizing the depth of the space and the repetition of architectural forms. Look at the way the light falls on the walls, creating a gradient from bright to dark, which adds to the emotional weight of the scene. It reminds me a little bit of Bernd and Hilla Becher, those photographers who catalogued industrial structures. There’s something similar here, this impulse to document and categorize, to make sense of the world through systematic observation. And, like the Bechers' work, this image is not just a record, it's a meditation on space, architecture, and the human condition. It’s a conversation, really, about how we see, remember, and interpret the spaces we inhabit.