Emplacement met ossenkarren beladen met riet bij suikerfabriek Ngandjoek op Java c. 1925 - 1930

This photograph by Isken shows the Ngandjoek sugar factory in Java, with oxcarts laden with reeds. The image provides a glimpse into a colonial landscape of labor and industry. The workers and oxen are integral to the sugar-making process. The photograph offers a complex interplay between natural materials and industrial intervention, showing how labor and production intertwine. The stacks of reeds, arranged with care, speak to the physical labor involved in sugarcane harvesting. These processes connect the factory to the cane fields. The photograph highlights the contrast between the manual labor of the workers and the industrial architecture of the factory. By examining the composition of this image and focusing on the details of labor and production, we can gain insights into the social and economic dynamics of the time, challenging any strict divide between fine art and everyday life.