Schoorsteen van de bergen bij Furfooz before 1903

This photograph of a mountainside chimney near Furfooz, was reproduced in a book, but who took it, and why? I love that we don’t know. It makes me think about artmaking as a process that’s part of something bigger than any one person. The tones in this picture range from dark grays to light, almost white areas, yet there’s a real depth and richness to the image, giving a sense of the rough texture of the rock. See the way the light catches the edges of the rocks, making them seem almost to glow, and how the shadows seem to swallow up parts of the cliff. Look at the texture of the rock face; it’s almost as if the photograph is trying to capture the essence of the mountain itself. This piece reminds me of Eugène Atget, who photographed Paris buildings. Both are interested in capturing a sense of place and time. Art isn't about fixed meanings but more like an ongoing dialogue across time.