Theefabriek Kertamanah gebouwd door Machinefabriek Braat Soerabaia 1934 1934

This photograph, "Theefabriek Kertamanah gebouwd door Machinefabriek Braat Soerabaia 1934", was created in 1934 by an anonymous photographer. It’s a black and white image of a factory under construction. What grabs me first is the skeletal quality of the structure; it's all lines and angles, an open framework against the landscape. The texture is fascinating. The grainy quality of the photograph feels almost tactile, like you could reach out and touch the rough surfaces of the metal and wood. I am drawn to the ordered chaos of the scaffolding. The way the photographer captured the light filtering through the structure, creating a play of shadows, adds another layer of depth. It’s as if they’re not just documenting a building, but also the process of its becoming. This piece reminds me a little of Bernd and Hilla Becher’s photographs of industrial structures – that same detached, almost clinical approach to capturing architectural forms. Ultimately, it's a celebration of human ingenuity and the beauty that can be found even in the most utilitarian of subjects.