Vrije tijd 1942 - 1943

Curator: This piece, titled "Vrije tijd," or "Leisure Time," is dated from 1942-1943, created anonymously and features a fascinating use of collage with gelatin silver and albumen prints. It's a compelling example of modernist photography within a social-realist style. What strikes you initially? Editor: It's strangely haunting, almost. These small, disparate vignettes of men engaged in sports, games, and studies… it feels deliberately curated to project a specific kind of image, a particular definition of "leisure" within a context I’m sure we’ll unpack. There's a staged quality that evokes both nostalgia and unease. Curator: Precisely. Considering the period in which it was made, during the Second World War, we must consider what "leisure" represented, especially in times of societal upheaval and, in many locations, occupation. What narratives were being promoted and whose stories were intentionally excluded? The subjects predominantly appear to be men, some seemingly military personnel, engaging in activities often associated with camaraderie and order: chess, table tennis, team sports. Editor: So, immediately, that male-dominated space stands out, particularly when thinking about the lived experiences of women during wartime. The absence speaks volumes. We see men occupying themselves in ways that both distract from and perhaps reinforce the social structures of the time. Is this about fostering morale, propagating an image of normalcy amid crisis? It seems significant that many activities—chess, reviewing files, lining up as a sports team—are activities where people get in formation. Curator: It also brings up issues of national identity and cohesion. These photographic images, presented as an album page, suggest the importance of collective identity, perhaps even the creation or maintenance of a national narrative through controlled leisure activities. Note how seemingly ordinary moments are documented almost meticulously, forming a collection of memories or experiences. It really underscores that the politics of leisure have everything to do with constructing reality. Editor: It’s that very selection, the arrangement, that speaks to an intentional shaping of the gaze. By omitting certain stories and emphasizing others, an image is not simply documented but actively composed. Even this layout choice mirrors an official archive with specific, intentional inclusions. Curator: Right. It invites a deeper consideration of what historical sources reveal and conceal about the intricacies of life under conflict, even during moments supposedly free from obligation. Editor: A poignant and multi-layered study, one which prompts us to consider not just the presented image of leisure, but also those unseen experiences overshadowed within it.