Heinrich Clausen houdt wacht 1941 - 1945

Here is a photo, undated, by an anonymous maker, a small silver gelatin print. The monochrome palette lends the image a documentary feel, yet it is the intimacy of the photo that remains, the gentle undulations of the paper’s surface. The picture shows a man, Heinrich Clausen, standing on watch, rifle on his shoulder. His dark uniform stands in contrast to the grey tones of the building behind him, and the lighter tones of the sidewalk. The building is formal, architectural, while Heinrich stands at ease. The image quality isn’t perfect. The focus isn’t razor-sharp. The soft focus lends the image an ambiguous or dreamlike quality. It’s not the kind of photograph you'd find in a history book. It's like a memory, a glimpse into the past. In some ways, it reminds me of Gerhard Richter's blurry paintings from photographs. The work embraces ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations, rather than fixed meanings.