Interieur van het woonhuis plantage Accaribo met mensen 1913 - 1930

Theodoor Browers created this image of the interior of the Accaribo plantation using a photographic process that must have felt as fresh and experimental at the time as AI image-making feels right now. I imagine Brouwers setting up his bulky equipment in the humid interior, carefully arranging the figures to capture their likeness. What were the power dynamics being recorded? Were these enslaved people or indentured workers? Are we witnessing a moment of celebration or staged commemoration? The interior is dimly lit, the texture of the walls and clothing rendered in subtle gradations of grey. It reminds me a little of Luc Tuymans’ paintings which work with similar muted tones, conjuring the sense of something remembered rather than directly observed. Brouwers, like Tuymans, embraces ambiguity, allowing the viewer to project their own interpretations onto the scene. And in the process, to reflect on the ongoing conversations around representation, memory, and the role of the artist as a witness to history.