Groepsfoto detachement Sanggau, 1950 Possibly 1950 - 1959

This photograph, Groepsfoto detachement Sanggau, was taken in 1950 in what looks like simple black and white. The approach feels documentary, with a focus on capturing a group in a specific moment. There’s a stillness in the subjects, but also a sense of life and texture. The grayscale gives it a timeless quality, focusing on the shapes and forms. It’s not about hiding the process, but rather using it to reveal something about the human experience. Focusing on the faces, each one is distinct, a tiny universe of expression. How does the artist balance the individual with the collective? It’s a question that runs through the whole image. Looking at someone like Bernd and Hilla Becher, who were interested in typologies, you can see a similar impulse to document and categorize, but here, it feels more personal, more human. It reminds you that art is an ongoing conversation, with each artist contributing their own perspective to the mix.