De Club c. 1900s - 1910s

This photograph of ‘De Club’ was made by an anonymous artist, and the image quality is so-so, but that’s part of its charm. It’s like a half-remembered dream, all soft edges and muted tones. It reminds me that artmaking is as much about capturing a feeling as it is about perfect rendering. Look at the way the light filters through the trees, casting shadows on the building. It's not crisp, but blurry, more like a wash. It makes you wonder about the atmosphere of the place. The architecture looks European, with an Asian vibe from the tree... The whole thing reminds me of Gerhard Richter's blurry photos, those paintings that are both there and not there. Art isn't about answers, right? It's more about the questions. And this photograph definitely leaves you with a lot to think about.