Admiraal Ferwerdabrug 1940

This photograph of the Admiraal Ferwerdabrug, was made some time ago, though we don’t know exactly when, or by whom. It's interesting because it uses a black and white palette, which simplifies the world to pure structure and form. The bridge looms large in the photograph, a structure of vertical and horizontal supports, and the details of these are so crisp and clear, you can almost reach out and touch it. The bridge isn't static either, but active, with the raised drawbridge element echoing the upright masts of sailing ships. There's a real sense of depth in the shot, created by the reflections in the water that stretches out to the horizon. This photograph reminds me of some of the stark industrial landscapes of the Bechers. Like them, it presents something mundane and everyday, and asks us to see the beauty in it. And, like all good art, it doesn’t give us any easy answers, just new ways of seeing and thinking.