Riettransport, voormalig Nederlands-Indië c. 1890 - 1911

Curator: This photograph, "Riettransport, voormalig Nederlands-Indië," or "Reed Transport, former Dutch East Indies," was taken by Onnes Kurkdjian sometime between 1890 and 1911. Editor: There’s a sense of serenity despite the scene depicting labor. The sepia tones evoke a distant era, and that towering stack of reeds is beautifully balanced on the cart. It’s almost sculptural. Curator: The image captures a typical agricultural scene, specifically the transport of reeds, likely sugarcane, a key commodity in the colonial economy. It highlights the labor systems imposed in the Dutch East Indies. Editor: The oxen pulling the overloaded cart carry symbolic weight, too. Animals frequently become metaphors for subjugation and hard labor within colonial settings. Curator: Exactly. The photograph becomes a silent commentary on colonial power dynamics, especially regarding resource extraction and agricultural policies of the time. Consider how it depicts the human figure both in control and constrained. Editor: Notice also the hat casually placed atop the reeds - an incredibly human gesture that reveals so much. It becomes an almost universal symbol of agricultural labor. The texture of the woven reeds offers a strong counterpoint to the smooth skin of the oxen. Curator: Kurkdjian was part of a growing commercial photography scene that captured these ‘exotic’ locales, fueling the European imagination, and promoting an image of industrious colonialism. Yet images like this often serve as an ambiguous legacy, they highlight an aesthetic and offer uncomfortable truths of its creation. Editor: It invites reflection on the relationship between nature, culture, and exploitation, revealing layered interpretations and the heavy burden colonialism inflicted on human labor and environment. Curator: Precisely, we’re left contemplating the layers of meaning held within a seemingly straightforward pastoral photograph. Editor: The image stays with you, provoking a sense of longing and responsibility.