Three generations before 1908

This black and white photograph, titled "Three Generations," was captured by Geldolph Adriaan Kessler. The image invites us to consider the social and political context of family lineage in relation to labour. Here we see a man holding a child stands upon a rudimentary construction that spans a body of water. The title suggests a narrative about family heritage, but the setting is the key here. It looks like the construction of a bridge, but with some research, you'll find the additional notation of "Sungai Law Trofie on the brunt." This tells us it was taken in Indonesia, in the Sungai Law Trofie region. Indonesia's history of Dutch colonialism is relevant here. It is likely that the labour being performed here is related to these colonial structures and their exploitation. The image comments on labour, and asks the viewer to consider the legacy that colonialism and globalism might leave on future generations. Understanding a work like this requires considering the visual evidence alongside its historical and geographical background.