Gezichten te Rotterdam 1930 - 1940

This is a page from an anonymous photo album, titled “Faces of Rotterdam.” Albums such as these, in their assembly and curation, capture a sense of place and identity. Here, we see Rotterdam through the lens of civic pride and perhaps, a desire to document its burgeoning modernity. The album page presents a city in transition, with images ranging from bustling commercial streets to serene churches, and imposing bridges. What is striking, however, is the absence of people. Rotterdam’s identity seems tied to its architecture and infrastructure, rather than its inhabitants. This elision raises questions about who is included, and excluded, from this vision of the city. Whose faces are missing from these ‘Faces of Rotterdam’? The album becomes a poignant reminder of how identity, whether personal or collective, is always a constructed narrative, shaped by what we choose to show, and perhaps more importantly, what we choose to leave out.