Bestuur Corps 1938-1939 van leerlingen van de MTS te Haarlem 1938 - 1939

This photo of the 1938-1939 board of students at the MTS in Haarlem, was taken by Fotobureau Stevens, and it's interesting to think about the process of taking a photo in that era. I love the way the light falls unevenly across the faces, creating these subtle gradients of tone. It's all in black and white of course, so the tonal range is doing all the heavy lifting. The way the light catches the medals and the banner, it's a stark contrast to the shadows that engulf the sides of the image. It reminds me of old movies, full of glamour and intrigue, but also melancholy. Think about the way that photography then became our dominant form of social record, it’s a precursor to what we all do now with our phones. It makes you think about the role of the artist, and how art is always in conversation with what came before. It’s not about one answer, it’s about keeping the questions alive.