Optocht NSB 1936 - 1937

This photograph, Optocht NSB, lives in the Rijksmuseum. It was made using photography, but we don't know who made it or when. The image is black and white and the tonal range feels heavy, with not much in the way of highlights. This makes the image feel like a document - a thing that is there to record events. The details are not clear, perhaps deliberately. I see a small, grainy image with a scalloped border - an object that seems like a souvenir. The composition is dominated by a large group of men marching in what looks like a parade or demonstration. In the centre, I notice a large flag, bisected black and white, an image that feels both stark and unsettling. Its unclear, the overall effect is one of a world defined by moral ambiguity and a sense of unease. I am reminded of Martha Rosler’s photomontages and how she used collage to explore the darker aspects of society, combining different elements to create new meanings and challenge viewers' perspectives.