Twee foto's van het Hippodrome de Longchamp tijdens een paardenrace 1930 - 1934

These are two black and white photographs of the Hippodrome de Longchamp during a horse race, taken by Frank Willem van den Berg. Mounted together, these gelatin silver prints offer a glimpse into the social fabric of leisure and spectacle. The materiality of these photographs speaks to the mechanization of vision in the early 20th century, where images could be captured and reproduced with relative ease, marking a shift in how we document and consume moments in time. The stark contrast and graininess, inherent to the photographic process of the era, adds a layer of texture to the scene. The choice of subject matter - a horse race - reflects the socio-economic dynamics of the period, a pastime of the upper classes made newly visible to the public through mass media. The images, while seemingly simple, capture a complex interplay of labor, leisure, and the burgeoning culture of consumption. Looking at these photographs, consider how materials and making processes are not separate from the world of fine art. Instead, they deeply embed it in social, economic, and cultural histories.