Vier kinderen hangend aan een houten hekwerk in Batoedjadjar 1924

Klaas Kleiterp made this gelatin silver print of four children hanging on a wooden structure somewhere in Batoedjadjar. What I love is the sheer joy of watching kids climb all over this rickety construction. It reminds me of being a kid, when everything was fair game. I'm thinking about the photographer, Kleiterp, what was he thinking? He had a pretty short life, dying at only 51. I'm thinking this photo was probably taken during the war. Maybe he was trying to capture a moment of peace, or a moment of play. It makes me think of the work of Lisette Model, maybe. I can really see what he’s getting at here, he’s a bit like a magician making something out of nothing. I also love the rough and ready quality of the construction itself. It also says something about the way children interact with the world. The construction is almost like a sculpture, a frame or a stage within which they can test their strength and agility. It’s the sheer spirit of life.