Afscheid van Korea door de militair Van Fleet 1951 - 1953

David Ketel made this photograph, Afscheid van Korea door de militair Van Fleet, sometime during his career. Look at how the faces emerge from the dark background, punctuated by these explosions of color from the flowers. I always find myself drawn to how the process reveals itself, how the artist coaxes an image into being. There’s a palpable texture to this photograph, even though it's flat. The interplay of light and shadow creates a sort of depth, a tactile quality. Notice how the darker tones pull you in, while the bright bouquets jolt forward, creating tension, a push and pull that keeps the eye moving. The contrast is heightened, yet the edges of the subjects blur, like a memory. It's easy to imagine how the photograph itself ages over time, like a conversation with the past. Ketel's approach reminds me of someone like Gerhard Richter, who was working with similar ideas around memory and image-making. Ultimately, art is always about questions more than answers, inviting us to look closer.