Molen Possibly 1926

This photograph, Molen, in the Rijksmuseum, is by an anonymous artist using monochromatic film. I'm drawn to the anonymous nature of the artist; it focuses the mind on the subject of the image and the process of its creation. There's a clarity here that speaks to the function of the piece, but it also feels open and exploratory. The texture is palpable, you can almost feel the cool, smooth surface of the metal, and the heft of this large piece of machinery. I am intrigued by the sharp angles and lines, like a mechanical cubist painting, emphasizing the dimensionality and weight. The arrangement of shapes and tones create a balanced composition, drawing the eye around the image, and allowing for multiple points of focus. This reminds me of some of Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs of industrial buildings, how they transform functional structures into objects of contemplation. Ultimately, it's the ambiguity of the artwork that's most appealing – its ability to be both representational and abstract, functional and aesthetic.