Plakboek met spaarzegels van sporters 1937

This is a stamp book of sportsmen, likely Dutch, made at an unknown date by someone named C. Rooze. Each of the stamp-like images are framed by an ornate border, like a little window onto another time. The monochromatic palette gives a sense of historical distance, but the faces of the athletes, each with their own distinct personality, are still very present. The texture of the page, its slight yellowing and imperfections, create an intimate viewing experience. I wonder what the lives of these sportspeople were like? The book feels like a collection of memories, a kind of frozen moment in time. It reminds me of the work of Gerhard Richter, who also uses photography to explore themes of memory and history. Like Richter’s work, there is something about the simplicity and directness of this album that is deeply moving. It resists fixed meanings, suggesting a more fluid and open-ended experience of time and identity.