Vijf Singalese monniken before 1899

Curator: Ah, this print, titled "Vijf Singalese monniken," or "Five Sinhalese Monks," dates back to before 1899 and is attributed to E. Castelein. The work, utilizing photography, gives us a glimpse into a time and culture quite distant from our own. What’s your initial response to it? Editor: Stark, I think, is my first impression. The high contrast pulls my eye to the faces of the monks, and the almost unnatural pallor against the dark background, together with their unwavering stares...It feels undeniably somber, even a little eerie. Curator: I understand. Yet, consider how the high contrast strengthens the sense of clarity and directness typical of photographic portraiture in that era. It eschews painterly romanticism for something more…immediate, maybe? The way their robes contrast, the folds and drape providing texture and movement against a stoic, unwavering composition. Editor: Technically adept, sure, but does the structure, the composition alleviate that chilling feeling? They're arranged almost symmetrically, but not quite. This subtle off-balance generates an unsettling, surreal dynamic that makes you pause. Their blank expressions...the way their fans hide their chests as a structural repetition. The work is technically proficient, yet it has a certain strangeness to it. It’s unnerving. Curator: I can appreciate how you see that duality. For me, though, there’s also a captivating serenity. Note the gentle light caressing their faces, the suggestion of wisdom and peace in their posture, an echo of a people anchored in something profound, regardless of context and circumstance. Editor: Still, these qualities of the photograph only reinforce a disturbing quality: the subjects aren’t looking at the viewer, their stares don't allow any kind of exchange or acknowledgement to take place...It generates discomfort, not warmth, in me. Curator: Maybe that resistance is itself part of its power. Instead of simply observing the photograph as one does looking at exotic scenes of other cultures, this photo places its viewers as perpetual outsiders who aren't invited into community with its subjects. This keeps you wanting more. Editor: I still find the aesthetic choices unsettling...Though in hindsight, I can now begin to consider and see the importance of context within portraiture! Thank you.