De Hongaars-Duitse journaliste Maria Leitner in Suriname Possibly 1930 - 1938

This photograph shows the Hungarian-German journalist Maria Leitner in Suriname, and was made using the chemical processes of photography. This technology, available to many at the time, allowed for the democratisation of image making. The work’s material qualities – its monochrome palette and grainy texture – evoke a sense of a bygone era. The image is not just a record but a crafted object, reflecting the photographer's choices and the limitations of the medium. Photography like this relies on industrial manufacturing, with standardized materials and processes and global trade, bringing cars to Suriname and journalists from Europe. The social context of this photograph is significant. The presence of Leitner, a European journalist, in Suriname speaks to the colonial narratives and global connections of the time, and the way these played out through the circulation of both people and images.