Matra Transport, France Possibly 1989 - 2006

Lewis Baltz made this photograph in France, though we don't know exactly when. Baltz often focused on the overlooked spaces of modern life, and in this image he captures the somewhat mundane activity of what looks like a transport control room. It's interesting how the cool tones of the blues and grays create a sense of detachment. The composition is so structured, with the grid of the ceiling contrasting the more organic forms of the people working below. Look at the person in the stripy green and blue jumper. Notice how he reaches out to touch the keyboard, yet he's not really part of the scene, almost like a ghost in the machine. For me, Baltz's photographs always suggest a dialogue with artists like Bernd and Hilla Becher, in their shared interest in industrial spaces, but Baltz brings a certain melancholy, a more emotional feel to his work. He reminds us that even the most functional places are filled with human stories.