Verplegers en patiënten in de polikliniek van suikerfabriek Goedo te Djombang op Java c. 1925 - 1930

This photograph by Isken captures nurses and patients in the polyclinic of the Goedo sugar factory in Djombang, Java. It's a sepia image, so the light is subdued, highlighting the quiet gestures of care happening within the room. I can only imagine what Isken might have been thinking when they made this photograph: perhaps reflecting on the intersection of industry and healthcare, of human bodies in need of care within a colonial space? There is an undeniable contrast between the sterile environment and the individual stories of the people within it. The photograph is grainy, almost like a memory fading over time. But within that graininess, there's a certain texture, a sense of realism. Isken’s image reminds me of the works of other documentary photographers, capturing slices of life with a keen eye for detail and human connection. It is a moment frozen in time, open to interpretation and reflection, reminding us of the ongoing conversations about the nature of care and the human condition.