Suikerdrooginstallatie Possibly 1932 - 1934

This photograph shows a Suikerdrooginstallatie – a sugar-drying installation. It was made in Soerabaia, now Surabaya, Indonesia. The artist is unknown. The image gives us insight into the technology used for sugar production in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, during a period of Dutch colonial rule. Sugar was a major export product at that time, and this industrial machinery reflects the economic interests of the colonizers. The image is thus heavily associated with the exploitation of resources and labor in a colonial context. It shows the scale of industrial operations and hints at the environmental and social impacts of this production. Further research into colonial archives, trade records, and labor conditions could shed more light on this image. The photograph serves as a reminder of the complex relationship between industrial progress, colonial power, and local communities.