's Lands Hospitaal en palmen 1934 - 1935

Augusta Curiel made this photograph, 's Lands Hospitaal en palmen, with a camera, though the date is unknown. Look at the way the light falls, almost uniform across the two images, yet there's a distinct mood in each. It's like Curiel’s composing with tonal values rather than colours, allowing a deeper exploration of form and texture. I’m drawn to the contrast between the structured hospital grounds on the left, and the wilder, more natural palm trees on the right. The way Curiel captures the lush foliage, it’s palpable, almost like you can feel the humidity in the air. The grainy texture of the photograph adds to this sensory experience, making it feel raw and immediate, like a snapshot from a memory. This reminds me a bit of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who systematically documented industrial structures, finding beauty in the mundane. Curiel seems to be doing something similar here, elevating the everyday through careful observation and composition. It's this blend of the ordinary and the extraordinary that makes the photograph so compelling.