Twee malariapatiënten 1929

This is a photograph of two children, likely taken at the Batak Institute Hospital around 1929. I imagine the photographer carefully framing the shot, stepping back and forth, thinking about light and shadow. You know, sometimes the most powerful art comes from the simplest means. There's something about the rawness of this image – the stark contrast, the direct gaze of the children, and the candid record of their physical state – that feels incredibly moving. What was the photographer thinking and feeling? It's not as if they are setting out to make art. The photograph is a document of human suffering, a glimpse into a time and place marked by disease and hardship. It makes me think about the role of art as a witness, as a tool for social commentary and change. How do we use our practices to bear witness to the world around us, and how do we engage with images that challenge us to confront difficult truths?