Kampong Balige van Toba Batakkers op Sumatra c. 1900 - 1920

Christiaan Benjamin Nieuwenhuis made this photograph of Kampong Balige of Toba Batakkers in Sumatra, but exactly when is unknown. This is an image that is almost hyper-real in its stillness and muted tones. I’m thinking about the artist and his process, traveling who knows where to find the right composition. Nieuwenhuis sought to document a moment in time and place—a place of dwellings, a street, the details of a village. The photograph reveals a world far removed from a western context. He probably hauled bulky equipment, glass plates, and chemicals, exposing himself to unfamiliar cultures. What was he thinking when he framed this shot? How did he explain his presence to the locals? Did he feel like an intruder, or a recorder, or an artist? The photo is sepia, faded like an old memory. It reminds me that even in the most documentary of forms, there is always an angle, a point of view, a choice. He found beauty in this kampong. We are all inspired by others in a never ending conversation.