Drie foto's van tempelrestanten in Paestum 1950

These three photos of temple remnants in Paestum are part of an album by Norbert van den Berg. The images are glued onto a cream page, which, along with the dark cover, creates a muted palette, pushing the sepia tones of the photos forward. I love the physical presence of these old photos, the way they sit on the page, kind of like collages. See how the handwritten text gives them almost a scrapbook feel? The images themselves are stark. The crumbling pillars and broken structures speak of time and decay, like the past is literally crumbling before us. The light and shadow play across the stone, lending a sort of ghostly presence to the ancient ruins. This approach really reminds me of the Bechers, who documented industrial structures with a similar sense of detachment. But here, there's a personal touch, an intimacy that moves beyond pure documentation. Art is like that, an endless conversation, isn't it? We look, we interpret, we add our own voice to the mix.