Bezoek aan Petronell, Oostenrijk 1930 - 1931

Berti Hoppe’s “Bezoek aan Petronell, Oostenrijk” is a series of silver gelatin prints arranged on a page in a photo album. The images are landscapes and landmarks in Petronell, Austria. The way the album page is presented with its handwritten labels gives the whole artwork a sense of journey. The photographs, in their subdued grayscale, appear as if they could have been captured yesterday or a century ago. The lack of a specific date lends them a timeless quality, inviting viewers to see the past and present intertwined. What strikes me is the photograph labeled “Zigeunerkind” or “gypsy child.” There's a strange feeling of spontaneity and authenticity, but also an awareness of its own staged-ness. This kind of tension is really compelling. It reminds me a little bit of some of the conceptual photography of artists like John Baldessari, not so much in its style but in its knowing embrace of artifice. Ultimately this piece shows us that every photograph tells a story, but it's up to us to decide what that story is.