S.O. Goenoengsari. Aanzicht ketelhuis en molenstation. 4-2-27. 1927

Curator: This striking 1927 photograph, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum, bears the title "S.O. Goenoengsari. Aanzicht ketelhuis en molenstation." It depicts a cityscape in monochrome tones, realized through photographic print on metal. Editor: My first thought is the sheer volume of raw material on display – all that steel. It has a Constructivist feel to it, but with the weight and heft of actual industrial production. Curator: Absolutely. The work certainly evokes the ideals of Constructionism – the glorification of industry, the emphasis on function. And remember, this wasn't just about aesthetics; it reflected a societal push toward modernization and industrial progress in the early 20th century. The photo is a document of a colonial landscape transforming itself. Editor: It is also worth noting the colonial context; industrial advancements such as these are as much products of, and testament to, exploitative extractive practices of material acquisition and extraction as they are monuments to industrial prowess. Curator: A valid point. The development undoubtedly has implications for labor and resource use. What I find intriguing, though, is how the image becomes a sort of visual propaganda, promoting a specific vision of development in the colonies. Editor: Right. And focusing on materiality reminds us this image is itself a manufactured object. Photography wasn’t neutral, neither was its circulation. Look at the metallic sheen of the print—it subtly reinforces the industrial narrative. Curator: It's fascinating how the photograph can function simultaneously as a record of a specific site and a shaper of public opinion, and historical perspective offers much regarding the impact of images. Editor: Yes, and the materiality—the print itself—plays an active role in shaping that opinion by emphasizing the supposed strength and durability tied up with industry at this time. Curator: Thinking about all the implications behind it, it strikes me how relevant such a photo remains. Editor: It speaks volumes—quite literally—about both ambition and cost. I'm going to be thinking about materiality in the colonies differently from now on.