Militairen aan de waterkant 1940 - 1943

This black and white photograph, Militairen aan de waterkant, of unknown origin, captures a stark scene. The limited grayscale palette evokes a sense of distance, almost like peering through a veil of time. Look at the figures, the way they’re rendered. The texture of the photograph itself is palpable, the graininess adding a layer of abstraction. It’s not about hyper-realism; it’s about mood, and the physical experience of seeing. The flatness of the image, combined with the slightly blurred edges, flattens the scene, making it feel dreamlike. Think of Giorgio Morandi, and his still-life paintings of bottles. The process of image-making— the printing and developing—is just as important as the subject. The photograph’s surface isn’t just a window; it’s a landscape in itself. It reminds us that art isn’t just about what we see, but how we see it.