Berlin 1930

Editor: So this photograph is simply titled *Berlin*, taken in 1930 by György Kepes. It’s a black and white image and captures a street scene. It strikes me as very graphic – those strong shadows really pull you in. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, it’s like a memory isn’t it? Or a stage set before the actors arrive. Kepes really captures that interwar feeling of uncertainty, the shadows feeling almost ominous. Do you feel it too? That stark contrast—almost brutal—yet there's a beauty in the light. The rigid form of the figure in the foreground casts these incredibly elongated shadows, bisecting the street, making it look almost theatrical. Editor: Definitely. It feels both intimate and distant at the same time. So is the focus more on the abstract shapes or the representation of Berlin at that time? Curator: That’s the trick, isn’t it? It’s both! He’s playing with formal elements - light, shadow, geometry - while simultaneously documenting a very specific place and time. The rise of modernist aesthetics merging with a realist perspective perhaps? What do you think? Editor: It’s interesting how he balances those two. Seeing it this way, it’s not just a snapshot. Curator: Exactly. It invites us to contemplate not just what Berlin *looked* like, but what it *felt* like. Art isn't always about perfection; sometimes it's about suggestion. Editor: I learned a lot about seeing more than just the surface in street photography! Curator: Precisely! And hopefully it’ll inspire you to grab your camera and find your own slice of Berlin...wherever that may be.