Maria Gonggrijp, lopend tussen Hindostanen 1912

This photograph, whose author and exact date are unknown, is made of paper treated with photosensitive chemicals. The result is a black and white print, muted in tone, yet incredibly revealing. Consider what photography meant at the time this was taken. It was both a means of documentation and of control, wielded most powerfully by those with access to the technology. Here, the image captures a woman, identified in the title as Maria Gonggrijp, walking amongst a group of Hindustani people. The composition itself speaks volumes. The woman is framed as the central figure, while the others are rendered as a collective, their individual identities somewhat obscured. The photograph's material simplicity belies the complex social dynamics at play. It prompts us to reflect on the power structures inherent in the act of image-making, and to question whose stories are told and how. It's a reminder that even seemingly straightforward depictions can carry profound social and political weight.