Optocht Jeugdstorm 1935 - 1937

This small black and white photograph by J. Otto captures a youth marching band or parade. I find myself drawn to the formal qualities of the image, the grayscale tones and how they delineate different shapes, and the contrasts in tone and texture. There’s a graphic quality to the clothes, the dark skirts and shorts against the pale shirts, and the way the lines of the buildings and trees contrast with the solid forms of the people. But the figures aren’t static. The forward motion creates a tension, especially in how the skirts billow and swirl, in contrast with the fixed grimaces of the marchers. The starkness of the image and the contrasts between light and dark, movement and stillness, create an atmosphere of melancholy. It reminds me a little of Lisette Model's street photography, where people are caught in a moment of performance, or sometimes just looking lost and awkward. Ultimately, what moves me about this piece is the way it captures this moment in time, and allows for all kinds of interpretations.