Untitled (Fresh fish) c. 1937 - 1938

Editor: So, here we have Karl Theodor Gremmler’s "Untitled (Fresh fish)," a photograph from around 1937 or '38. It's stark, very black and white, and initially strikes me as a very literal depiction of… well, dead fish. But the longer I look, the more unsettling it becomes. What do you see in this piece beyond just fish on ice? Curator: The fish, starkly presented, do appear lifeless, but look closer. Their glassy eyes stare back, almost accusatory. Consider how cultures, particularly coastal communities, historically viewed fish. They represent sustenance, trade, and even the capricious nature of the sea itself. This image captures not just a still life, but a moment of transition. Editor: A transition from… what to what? Are you suggesting it's about more than just dinner? Curator: Precisely. In many cultures, the image of a fish carries strong religious connotations linked to fertility or abundance; but here, covered in ice, those implications seem corrupted. Do you sense that dissonance? What is ice meant to convey? Editor: Preservation, maybe? Stasis? Like time is frozen… Curator: Indeed! Now think about the cultural climate of the late 1930s in Germany, Gremmler's home. A time of political solidification, of things being... put on ice, so to speak. Could this photograph be a subtle commentary? What emotional resonance do these fish possess when we connect the symbolism of food security and Christian imagery, during a politically tumultuous era in Germany? Editor: I never considered it that way, but it makes perfect sense. It’s no longer just a picture of dead fish but a poignant cultural symbol about a time of upheaval. I learned something today. Curator: Likewise! It is by looking beyond the immediate, to excavate at cultural memory through images that we can come to discover their deeper symbolic and psychological weight.