Installatie van de Sultan van Boeton 1938

This is a page from an album featuring a series of black and white photographs relating to the Installation of the Sultan of Boeton, created by an anonymous artist. The varying sizes and jagged edges of the images suggest a personal, almost scrapbook-like approach, contrasting with the formality of the subject matter. The brown cardboard of the album peeks out from behind the images, providing a textural and tonal backdrop. There's something beautifully imperfect about how these images are arranged. See how the light catches the top right corner of the central image, the play of light and shadow there? It's like the artist is deliberately exposing the rawness of the medium, revelling in the physical act of making. It reminds me a little of Kurt Schwitters, in the way that he took collage materials and offset the clean edges and slick surfaces of commercial design. I love how this album page embraces chance and imperfection, offering us a glimpse into a specific moment in time and a unique way of seeing.