Dootje van Zijll de Jong en een vrouw zittend onder bomen, nabij Bandoeng 1933

This photograph of Dootje van Zijll de Jong and another woman sitting under trees near Bandoeng, has no known artist. I see the women perched, like birds, on the edge of something. There’s a feeling of being both hidden and exposed, like the moment just before you step out onto a stage. What were they thinking at that moment? Were they waiting for someone or something, or simply enjoying the quiet, the rustling leaves, the sun dappling through the branches? I love the way the photographer has framed the image. The dark trees act as a curtain, drawing our eye to the light in the distance. There’s a sense of depth, of journeying into the unknown. The women are a focal point, yet they’re also part of the larger landscape. It reminds me of other artists, like Gerhard Richter, who blur the lines between abstraction and figuration. All artists are in conversation with each other, across time, inspiring our creativity. This photograph is an invitation to step into that conversation, to imagine the stories behind the image.