Scheidingsschakelaar in een electriciteitspaal 1936

Wouter Cool made this photograph of a disconnector in an electricity pole and has captured these insulators that look a bit like vertebrae, holding the whole system together. I can imagine Cool outside, looking up, thinking about the relationship between form and function. He’s thinking about the way the light falls, capturing the contrast between the industrial metal and the sky, the graphic shapes, and geometric forms. He's playing with perspective, positioning himself to look up at this infrastructure. It's amazing how the mechanical and the mundane can become something visually striking, even beautiful. It makes me think about Bernd and Hilla Becher and their photographs of industrial buildings. There’s a connection in their shared interest in the aesthetics of industry. Artists are always looking, and always finding new ways to see the world around them!