Man met paard bij een rokende vulkaan in Nederlands-Indië 1912

Onnes Kurkdjian’s photograph captures a man with a horse near a smoking volcano in the Dutch East Indies. Look at the plume of smoke dominating the landscape. It's an atmospheric monochrome, layering tones of grey. I imagine Kurkdjian hiking up the mountain to capture this sight, lugging all that bulky photographic equipment. He’s chasing the light, composing the image, waiting for the perfect moment when the volcano reveals itself. What was he thinking as he peered through the lens? Did he see himself as an explorer, a documentarian, or an artist? The texture of the earth contrasts with the softness of the smoke, the smallness of the man and horse against the vastness of nature. We get a sense of the sublime – a moment of awe tinged with fear. This image resonates with other landscape artists, photographers, and painters who attempt to capture the power of nature. The image asks us to consider our place in the world, the fragility of existence, and the beauty of the chaos. Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and space, each adding their voice to the ongoing exploration of what it means to be human.