Onderzoekkamer in de polikliniek van het Hospitaal Batak Instituut te Kaban Djahe 1928

This photo of the Onderzoekkamer in de polikliniek van het Hospitaal Batak Instituut te Kaban Djahe was shot on February 9, 1928. Just imagine being the person who took this photo, probably using some heavy camera and a flashbulb, trying to capture the essence of this very clean and organized clinic room. The high contrast in the black and white image emphasizes the room's austerity, which I think reflects a certain colonial view of health and hygiene. The cleanliness is so striking! It makes me think of the photographer's intention. Were they trying to showcase progress, modernity, or something else? The photo has a certain "clinical" feel because it is trying to communicate the purpose of this room as a place of healing, but there is something sterile and cold about it. It makes me wonder about the experiences of people who would've come to this clinic at that time. Ultimately, it all comes back to the tension that always exists in the relationship between the artist or photographer, their subject matter, and the viewer. It reminds us that art, even in its most documentary forms, is always a product of choices, perspectives, and cultural contexts.