Fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

This photo book was made by J.W. Meyster, for the Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters, or AVROS. The physical construction of this book—the binding, paper stock, and photographic prints—speaks to the industrialization of both agriculture and image-making in the early 20th century. The book's materials are straightforward, but they belie a complex story. Rubber plantations in Sumatra were a major economic force, powered by exploited labor. The book, therefore, becomes a kind of industrial product itself, a document of capital. Consider the way photographs were reproduced at the time. Each image required chemical processing and standardized printing methods. This is distinct from a unique work of art, like a painting or sculpture; it is inherently linked to mass production. This book invites us to consider how labor, materials, and modes of production shape our understanding of both art and industry.