In de deur 1940 - 1943

This is an undated photograph called "In de deur" by an anonymous photographer, and it’s held in an album. I'm always drawn to black and white photography, how it flattens everything into shapes of light and dark. It is not about a literal representation, but something else entirely. This image shows four men standing at a doorway, all wearing similar uniforms. It's like a study in contrasts. Each face is distinct, but then the uniforms render them all somehow the same. Look closely at the way the light catches the buttons, and how the dark tones delineate a face, create a shape. It reminds me of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who photographed industrial structures with this same detached, objective eye. But here, the human element adds a layer of mystery. Who are these men? What are they thinking? The photograph offers no answers, only questions. Art isn't about answers anyway. It's about opening up a space for inquiry, for seeing the world in a new light.