Gezicht in een straat (met electriciteitsmasten/-palen) in Ottawa, Canada 1936

This photograph by Wouter Cool captures a street scene in Ottawa, likely early in the 20th century, dominated by the stark verticality of electrical poles. Note how these poles, arranged as crosses, rise above the urban landscape. The cross, of course, is an ancient symbol, predating Christianity, representing intersection, choice, and even suffering. Here, in Ottawa, it's transformed into a technological icon, a nervous system transmitting power and communication. Consider the evolution from the cross as a religious emblem to its appropriation in secular contexts. It is a testament to humanity's enduring need to mark territory and establish connection, now manifested through the cold, functional aesthetics of industrial infrastructure. The visual impact of these poles, slicing through the sky, reminds us that even the most mundane objects can carry profound symbolic weight. This image reveals how we constantly reinterpret and repurpose ancient forms, imbuing them with new significance in our ever-changing world.