Gezicht op de Hampoort te Grave 1890 - 1920

This silvery gelatin print shows the Gezicht op de Hampoort te Grave, and was produced by an anonymous photographer. There’s a dreamy quality to this image, right? Like a faded memory, or a scene from a half-remembered story. What I notice first is the way the light seems to seep into every corner, softening the edges and creating this all-over feeling. The Hampoort itself looks imposing, solid. But it is also ethereal because of the way the light hits it. Look closely, and you can see the texture of the stone, the way the light catches on the rough surfaces. It’s all about subtle details, and the way they come together to create a mood. The Hampoort is so faded that you can see the building behind it. It reminds me of Piranesi's etchings of Roman ruins – these images of history and memory all layered on top of each other. The way the image degrades and decays is the point. In both cases, it's about art being an ongoing conversation across time. And embracing ambiguity.