Ondergelopen bedrijfsterrein tijdens de overstroming van Parijs 1910 - 1911

G. Dangereux’s photograph captures a flooded industrial estate in Paris. What strikes me is the limited palette, almost monochrome, which lends the scene a timeless quality. The water's surface reflects the buildings and sky, blurring the line between solid and liquid. Look how the factory chimneys punctuate the horizon, standing like silent sentinels amidst the deluge. The water is still, its surface capturing a mirror image of the buildings and sky above. Notice too, the mud and debris in the foreground which pull you in, but resist any firm foothold. That dark, undefined mass on the left of the frame, could it be foliage, or refuse? It’s a reminder of nature's indifference to human constructions. This photograph reminds me of some of the early work of Eugène Atget. Both artists find beauty in the everyday, inviting us to contemplate the quiet poetry of urban life and how we continue to live, adapt and create, even when disaster strikes.