Leprozenkolonie Danaradja: patiënten 1922

This set of photographs titled ‘Leprozenkolonie Danaradja: patiënten’ was taken by an anonymous artist. The sepia tones and the candid nature of the photographs give me the impression of an artist interested in capturing the everyday. The subjects may have been used to the photographer’s presence, or perhaps the photographer worked quickly, trying to get the shot before anyone noticed. I like to imagine they were thinking about how best to capture the light and shadow, how to frame the composition, and how to tell a story with images, and the patience required in this type of work. The arrangement of these photographs is so important! They aren’t neatly aligned, which gives the image a sense of informality, which in turn seems to reflect an idea of community, which is a quality I love in art. Photography is an act of seeing and interpreting. This anonymous artist is in a conversation with all image makers. By making these images available, the artist has opened them up to interpretation and discussion. It’s now our turn to respond.