Isabel Wachenheimer staand op de toegangstrap van het KLM-toestel The flying Dutchman met grondpersoneel en passagiers, met Hebreeuwse letters op de trap 1950 - 1970

This photo, by an anonymous photographer, captures a moment of transit at the KLM-toestel The Flying Dutchman. I’m drawn to the anonymous feel of the image. I see a crowd of people and I immediately wonder about their stories. What are their hopes and expectations? Where are they going and why? The Hebrew letters on the steps add another layer, suggesting a journey to or from Israel, maybe? It’s funny how a photograph, much like painting, can be both so specific and so open-ended. I also like the contrast between the solid, grounded figures and the sleek, streamlined body of the plane. The crisp black and white tones give the image a timeless quality, like a memory fading into the past. I imagine the photographer, trying to capture a fleeting moment in the lives of these travelers. They’re all part of this bigger thing we call humanity.