Dienststelle van de 9. Räumbootsflottille van de Kriegsmarine aan de Schiedamseweg te Vlaardingen 1941 - 1945

This black and white photograph of the Dienststelle van de 9. Räumbootsflottille was taken at an unknown date by an anonymous artist, and what I love about it is the sense of ambiguity and unease that permeates the image. I can only imagine what it must have been like to capture this image, to stand in that moment of history and see the world through the lens. The artist, whoever they were, likely responded to the scene on an intuitive level, drawn to the stark contrasts, the geometric lines of the buildings, and the shadow-filled street. I am drawn to the almost uncanny quality of the image; its sense of emptiness and desolation is enhanced by the grainy texture of the film. Photography, like painting, offers a unique way of seeing and experiencing the world. I think artists are constantly in conversation with one another across time, inspiring new and unexpected ways of seeing. This photograph is a reminder of the power of art to capture a moment in time, but it also allows us to reflect on our own place in the world and our relationship to history.