Woningen van Chinese contractarbeiders 1921 - 1922

This photographic print, titled "Woningen van Chinese contractarbeiders," captures a row of houses likely for Chinese contract workers. We don't know who took the photo, or when it was taken. The image, in tones of brown and grey, offers a glimpse into the living conditions of these workers, but what was the photographer thinking? I wonder about the choice of composition and the angle of the houses. I think about the physical act of capturing this image – the camera held, the click of the shutter, the development of the print. It’s a conversation across time, a moment captured, and a reflection on the human condition. Photography, like painting, is an embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and allowing for multiple interpretations beyond a fixed reading.