S.O. Goenoengsari. Kunstwerk in den grooten weg Kentjong - Kasijan. 30-4-27. 1927

This photograph was taken on April 30, 1927 by an anonymous artist. It documents road construction in Kentjong-Kasijan. I'm really drawn to this image because it's about building, but it's also about people, labour, and place. It looks like hard work in tropical heat. I can almost feel the texture of the earth, the grit, and the weight of the stones they are using to build what looks like a culvert or bridge. What were they thinking as they built this road? Were they thinking about the future, about connecting communities, or just about getting through another day? What were their lives like outside of this scene, away from the road? I also find it interesting that an anonymous photographer captured this scene. What was their role in this project? Were they an engineer, a foreman, or just someone with a camera who wanted to document this moment in time? These historical photographs are a reminder that art is not just about the individual genius of a named artist but also about collective creativity, about ordinary people shaping their world and finding beauty and meaning in the everyday.