Koperdraaierij 1925 - 1935

This photograph, of unknown date and authorship, depicts a copper workshop, or ‘Koperdraaierij’ in the Dutch. The image documents a factory floor, likely in Indonesia, filled with rows of machinists operating metal lathes. These machines, powered by overhead belts, were used to shape copper and other metals through a process of careful, precise cutting. The scene is not one of artistic creation, but of industrial production. The workers are uniformly dressed, and their labor seems repetitive. The photograph's power lies in its ability to capture a specific moment in the history of labor. It encourages us to reflect on the human cost of industry, and to value the skill and effort involved in the creation of even the most mundane objects. It’s a reminder that every object, from the simplest to the most complex, is the product of human hands and human labor. This challenges our traditional notions of fine art versus craft.