Exterieur van de kliniek van suikerfabriek Ngandjoek op Java c. 1925 - 1930

This is a photograph by Isken, titled 'Exterieur van de kliniek van suikerfabriek Ngandjoek op Java,' depicting the exterior of a clinic at the Ngandjoek sugar factory in Java. The image offers a glimpse into the colonial landscape of Indonesia under Dutch rule. Sugar factories were not merely economic enterprises; they were also social and political structures that deeply impacted the lives of local populations. This clinic, while ostensibly a place of healing, was also a tool in maintaining a labor force. The photograph invites us to consider the complex dynamics of colonialism, where care and exploitation were intertwined. Who had access to this clinic? What kind of care was provided? The image is a stark reminder of how health and well-being were often mediated by colonial interests, raising questions about power, access, and the human cost of economic exploitation.