Chinezen vieren bevrijding 1945 - 1949

K. Raucamp made this photograph, Chinezen vieren bevrijding, with a camera, of course, though we don't know exactly when. It looks to me like they were celebrating, yes, but also just sort of hanging out, maybe backstage at a theatre? The textures in this photograph are what grab me, from the shiny hair to the patterned fabrics and the rough walls. Look at the man in the center, draped in what looks like a leopard print. It's so artificial, you know? The contrast between that print and the serious expressions is what gives the image its subtle humor. The more I look at it, the more the room itself feels like a character. Those bare lightbulbs and peeling walls speak of a time and place, a sense of impermanence, like everything could be packed up and moved at any moment. It reminds me of the photographs of Lisette Model, who also found the extraordinary in the everyday. Art doesn't need to be loud to be powerful. Sometimes, it whispers.