Exterieur van het huis en de tuin van de inspecteur van de Deli Maatschappij te Bindjai Langkat op Sumatra c. 1900 - 1920

This photograph, of the exterior of a house and garden in Sumatra, was made by an anonymous photographer. The way the light hits the building, kind of soft and diffused, makes you think about the process of seeing, like our eyes are still adjusting to a new place. I’m drawn to the texture of the palm trees, their rough trunks contrasting with the manicured lawn, like nature and control in a little dance. There’s something about the way the photographer captured the light filtering through the leaves, almost hiding the architecture of the house, that feels significant. It’s not just a picture, but a kind of feeling, a mood that makes me think about the way we frame our experiences and how that can shape our understanding of the world. It reminds me a bit of some of Edward Hopper’s paintings, the way he uses light to create a mood, to make the ordinary seem strange and full of meaning. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about opening up new ways of seeing.