Afdelingen financiën en administratie 1942 - 1943

Curator: It's quite the composite photograph, this gelatin silver print from 1942-1943 entitled "Afdelingen financiën en administratie." The way these smaller photographs are assembled, it feels like a document, or a record, rather than a traditionally composed photograph. Editor: It's like a collage! It feels so impersonal, but somehow also revealing. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: For me, the materiality is fascinating. We have the gelatin silver print, a fairly reproducible and common medium, used to depict scenes of administration. Look at how many papers and telephone receivers are presented. What does this suggest about how these soldiers actually spent their time during the war, which is contrary to what most people assume? What does it say about labour during wartime? Is it productive labour, or destructive? Editor: I see what you mean. It almost seems mundane, bureaucratic even, rather than being on the front lines. All these photographs of soldiers with paperwork and phones really clashes with the traditional image of warfare. But that’s also revealing because these pictures likely document the labour involved with executing warfare. What about the effect on the materials used? What are the impacts on wartime scarcity on printing processes? Curator: Exactly! Think about the labour and resources required to produce all this, especially during wartime rationing. Even the photograph itself consumes valuable resources. It asks questions about resource allocation and material value during conflict. Perhaps thinking about its creation will unlock a richer interpretation than just reading the images themselves. Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn't considered! It really opens up a deeper understanding of the photo and its relationship to war. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. There is always more than meets the eye to unpack when considering the making of an artwork.