Fort Bocklemünd 1940

This is a page from a photo album, ‘Fort Bocklemünd’ from 1940, author unknown. It’s a series of silver gelatin prints, neatly arranged on a grey page. The monochromatic palette gives the entire page a melancholic atmosphere. The materiality here is fascinating. We have the glossy surface of the photos themselves, against the matte page they are pasted on. It's all carefully considered. My eye is drawn to the upper left image of the pigs: look at the way the light catches their backs, highlighting the texture of their skin. This detail contrasts with the overall subdued tone of the image, giving the composition a unique twist. The combination of hard-edged frames with the soft forms of the subject matter really resonates with me. Much like the work of Gerhard Richter, who played with the surface texture and clarity of images, there is a similar dialogue between reality and representation. This piece reminds us that art is always an ongoing conversation.