Pagina 71 van fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

This is a photograph of a machine in a building, by J.W. Meyster. The image uses grayscale to capture the play of light and shadow on this industrial subject. The photo itself has a kind of grainy texture, especially visible in the walls behind the machine. See how the light catches the corrugated iron, creating these rhythmic vertical lines that contrast with the solid, cylindrical forms of the machine. I think what's interesting here is the focus on the process of industry itself. The artist invites us to consider the texture and material of these manufactured objects, rather than the smooth, finished products. It reminds me a bit of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who also documented industrial structures with such loving attention. There's a sense of ambiguity too, it can be seen as both documentation and art. It's like Meyster is saying that industry is an ongoing conversation, where machines and workers shape each other.