Zuidzijde van de Oude Kerk te Naaldwijk 1910

This is a photograph of the Zuidzijde van de Oude Kerk te Naaldwijk, made by an anonymous photographer. It's a study in subtle greys, isn't it? The artist—or maybe it was a civil servant—methodically documented the brickwork and windows. I can imagine them, carefully framing the shot, waiting for the light to be just right. It's a very straightforward image, a record. There's a strange kind of beauty in that directness. You know, sometimes the most interesting art comes out of a kind of constraint. I think of Bernd and Hilla Becher's typologies of industrial structures, or the deadpan photography of Ed Ruscha. This photo shares that same sensibility, an almost detached observation that somehow becomes deeply compelling. Maybe it’s because, as viewers, we project so much onto it. The surface of the photo invites us to reflect.