Oliefabriek Padang Halaban, 1938 1938

This photographic collage, *Oliefabriek Padang Halaban*, was created by Mr. Schurmans in 1938. It’s laid out like a sketchbook page— a collection of observations and views, pinned together but separate. I wonder if Mr. Schurmans felt like these photographs could somehow tell the whole story of this oil factory? I imagine him walking around, looking for vantage points. He wanted to capture not just the buildings, but also the sense of industry, those long lines of carts stretching out into the landscape. It's like he's trying to map out this space, piecing together different perspectives to create a comprehensive image. The tonal range reminds me of photorealist painting— but of course this is photography, capturing slices of real life. There’s a documentary impulse here, a desire to record. Like many artists, Schurmans is in dialogue with the world, trying to capture it, understand it, and share it with others. Photography, like painting, lets us freeze a moment and really consider it.