Stalen geraamte 1931 - 1937

These photographs, of what the title suggests is a ‘Stalen geraamte’, which translates to ‘steel frame’, are pasted into an album, and made by an anonymous artist. The monochromatic palette gives them a timeless feel, like looking into a distant past. There is something melancholic about these photographs. They remind me of Bernd and Hilla Becher’s black and white photographs of industrial structures. The Bechers were fascinated by the aesthetics of industrial buildings, and photographed them in a deadpan, objective style. Like the Bechers’ images, there is a documentary aspect to this image, but the anonymous artist also captures the poetics of construction, a fascination with how things are made, and the beauty of simple, functional forms. The subjects of these photographs are metal structures, which might appear cold and impersonal but which the photographer, with an intimate understanding, portrays as something warm and human. This image reminds me that art is everywhere, in the most unexpected places. It’s all about how we choose to see the world.