S.O. Goenoengsari. Molenstation. 20-8-27. 1927 - 1928

Isken made this black and white photograph of the S.O. Goenoengsari Molenstation on August 20th, 1927. You know, it's funny to think about how photographs from this time were often trying to mimic paintings. Looking at this image, I can't help but wonder what Isken was thinking when he composed this shot. It is like he wanted to capture the machinery in its totality. The gears! all aligned just so, like some sort of machine-ballet frozen in time. There's a real beauty in the industrial, a kind of organized chaos that feels very… human, you know? It reminds me of some of the early modernists who were fascinated by industry and technology. It feels like they're all in conversation, these artists across time, riffing off each other's ideas and obsessions. It makes you think about the different ways we can see and experience the world, whether it’s through the lens of a camera or the stroke of a brush.