S.O. Goenoengsari. Verdamping. begin Aug: 1927. 1927 - 1928

This gelatin silver print from 1927 shows the interior of the Goenoengsari sugar factory in Java, Indonesia. The anonymous photograph presents a web of pipes, tanks and metal structures in the factory. This photograph is a powerful document of Dutch colonial history. During this period, Indonesia was part of the Dutch East Indies, and the sugar industry was a key part of the colonial economy. Factories like this one extracted resources and labor from the local population. We can view this image as evidence of colonial expansion and exploitation. To get a better understanding of this image, you could research the history of the Dutch East Indies, the sugar industry, and the lives of Indonesian workers during the colonial era. These kinds of sources can help us to see the social and political forces at play in this photograph.