Gedeelte van de Hervormde Kerk te Sleen 1903

This unassuming photograph of a church was taken in Sleen by an unknown photographer. The sepia tones make me think about how we construct memories, how we try to hold onto the past. Look at the brickwork: the blocks are stacked with such precision, yet each one is different, worn, and weathered. It makes me think about the human hand, the imperfections, and how the process is what gives the whole thing its character. The windows are dark, almost like eyes, but eyes that don't quite see. They are fixed, static. The overall effect is one of stillness, of a moment captured and held in time. It reminds me a little of some of Atget’s architectural studies. They were both obsessed with trying to hold onto what was there, and maybe, in doing so, they were both trying to glimpse what was to come. Like all art, this image is an invitation to look, to feel, and to think.