Afsluitdijk 1940 - 1943

Editor: This gelatin-silver print, called "Afsluitdijk", dates from between 1940 and 1943. I find the image stark and a little lonely. What visual cues stand out to you? Curator: The starkness certainly resonates. The image, mounted within the album, presents an almost archetypal solitary figure. Note the band of the dike cutting through the water, towards an indistinguishable shape in the distance. The person's gaze seems fixed on it. What do you suppose the photographer—and the sitter—are trying to convey? Editor: It feels like a hopeful gaze, but also uncertain? The figure almost blends with the muted background; I can’t decide whether it's somber or empowering. Curator: Precisely! The lack of adornment in the figure directs the viewer to project their own emotional landscape. It can become a vessel for memory. Notice how the band of the dike dissects the negative space of the sky and water almost evenly. Is that an image of division or connection, constraint or aspiration? Editor: Division maybe, there's definitely an uneasy balance in this picture. But maybe it speaks to resilience in the face of such harsh divides. The dike seems protective somehow. Curator: And the presence of that solid structure suggests an intentional remaking of the natural world. This creates tension. What histories might be encoded here? Are there political, economic, or social currents we might be overlooking? Editor: The photo creates a poignant sense of human agency set against nature’s indifference and imposing constructions. That helps unlock its enduring power, at least for me. Curator: Indeed. Considering the period, from 1940-1943, resilience takes on even more profound dimensions of fortitude.