Bruggen in de Anaikloof op Sumatra c. 1900 - 1920

This gelatin silver print of bridges in the Anaikloof on Sumatra was made by Christiaan Benjamin Nieuwenhuis. It's like a muted symphony of sepia tones, isn't it? The picture plane is divided, with the industrial precision of the bridge juxtaposed against the organic chaos of the jungle. There's a delicate balance between control and surrender, which is a tension I always find myself navigating in my own work. Look at the way the light catches on the metal latticework of the bridge: each tiny glint feels deliberate, yet the overall effect is airy and ephemeral. I think of Bernd and Hilla Becher and their typologies of industrial structures, or even some of the starker landscapes of Edward Hopper. Art is always a conversation. What do you hear when you look at this picture?