Rede van de Emmahaven in Padang op Sumatra 1891 - 1912

Christiaan Benjamin Nieuwenhuis made this photograph of Emma Harbour in Padang, Sumatra at an unknown date with an unknown medium. It's easy to get lost in the cool monochrome tones here. Looking at the way the scene recedes into the distance, it feels like the image is about seeing as a process. The textures of the building on the left and the distant mountain are so different, almost as different as painting and photography. The building is solid and architectural, whereas the mountain recedes into a hazy distance. I'm drawn to the contrast between these two masses. The railroad tracks which cut across the foreground are like a way of entering the image. It reminds me of some of the photographic work of artists like Bernd and Hilla Becher. Both artists invite us to consider the world around us in new and unexpected ways. It's a reminder that art is a conversation, a way of seeing and thinking that evolves over time.