Mannen bij een hanengevecht op een erf in Nederlands-Indië 1912

Onnes Kurkdjian made this photograph of a cockfight in the Dutch East Indies sometime between 1851 and 1903, using a monochrome palette that really pops with sharp tonal contrasts. It’s amazing how much texture he manages to capture. Check out the ground where the cockfight is taking place. It’s not just a flat expanse; you can almost feel the grit under your feet. And then there’s the thatched roof behind the crowd of onlookers, so roughly textured, it looks like it could poke your eye out! It's so cool to see how these physical elements add emotional depth to the image. The image is about more than just the spectacle of the fight; it's about seeing and feeling the atmosphere. It reminds me of the quiet drama you find in a Eugène Atget photograph or the work of someone like Bernd and Hilla Becher. Art is always in conversation, a timeless exchange of ideas and ways of seeing.