Nelson Tower, New York, Verenigde Staten 1936

Here we have Wouter Cool’s photograph of Nelson Tower in New York. The most striking element is the tower itself, an imposing structure, its height a modern interpretation of the ancient ziggurat or even the Tower of Babel. Consider the symbolism of height across cultures. From the pyramids of Egypt to the Gothic cathedrals of Europe, structures that reach for the sky represent humanity's aspiration to transcend the earthly realm, to connect with something greater. The skyscraper embodies a similar yearning, now manifested in the language of commerce and technological progress. Yet, such vertical ambition is not without its shadows. Just as the Tower of Babel was said to have provoked divine retribution, these modern towers can evoke feelings of awe, but also alienation. The grid-like windows, multiplied across the facade, reduce the individual to an anonymous unit within a vast, impersonal system. The tower then becomes a potent symbol of both our collective aspirations and anxieties in the modern age, a testament to our enduring fascination with the monumental.