Hippopotamus, National Zoo, Washington, D.C. Possibly 1986 - 1987

Volker Seding made this photograph of a hippopotamus at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., we don't know exactly when, but I'd guess sometime in the 80s or 90s. The composition is all about lines and rectangles. The hippo is behind bars, and the vertical bars create a rigid structure that contrasts with the hippo's soft, rounded form. The light is flat and even, which gives the scene a documentary feel, but it also emphasizes the textures. You can see the rough concrete of the enclosure and the hippo's skin, which looks dry and cracked. It's not the most flattering portrait, but it's honest. The way Seding frames the animal reminds me a bit of the Bechers and their photos of industrial structures. It’s a similar kind of detached observation. The photograph becomes a record of something that exists, without judgment or sentimentality. It's just there, like the bars, the concrete, and the hippo. It makes you think about the act of looking, and what it means to see something, or someone, in a cage.