Sumatrastraat No. 8 1931 - 1934

Atelier Kurkdjian made this photograph, Sumatrastraat No. 8, to document a building, probably with a large format camera, you can tell from the detail and tone. I love the way the values shift across the image; the light reflecting from the walls of the house, the dark areas in the trees, the building is a mid tone. But what does this mean? Is it about light, composition, or simply the process of making art? Look at the lower right corner, where the gate is. The photographer positioned themself to see the gate, which is then offset against the white walls. The eye dances between the different textures of the image, the lush bushes to the left of the frame, the wooden fence to the right. It’s an exercise in seeing, similar to the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who documented industrial buildings with similar attention to detail. Ultimately, art leaves us with more questions than answers, right?