Opblazen van een mijn 1941 - 1945

This stark photograph, “Opblazen van een mijn,” or “blowing up a mine,” presents us with an anonymous moment captured by an unknown artist. It’s impossible to ignore the historical context of conflict that saturates this image. Consider the period in which this photograph could have been taken. The act of documenting such a destructive force—the violent upheaval of earth and sky—speaks to the desensitization and normalization of conflict. Who was behind the lens? What were their intentions? Were they a soldier, a civilian, an observer? The anonymity of both the event and the photographer invites us to contemplate the countless untold stories of war. The photograph, with its grainy texture, becomes a symbol of obscured truths and lost voices. It serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict.