Ondervraging van een Japanse commandant Possibly 1946 - 1948

This photograph, called 'Ondervraging van een Japanse commandant', was made at an unknown date by an artist called NIGIS. It is a monochromatic scene. Think of it in terms of grays, whites, and blacks. These tones are not simply colors but also feelings—somber, perhaps, or serious. The composition includes a cluster of people in the foreground. Look at the details: the uniforms, the expressions, the light catching the creases of their clothing. It is all about texture, isn’t it? These different textures and the way that light reveals each fold and crease contribute to the emotional heft of the image. Consider the line of the road itself, how it almost bisects the image. That line provides a kind of anchor, but it is also a division, a literal and figurative path. This picture reminds me a little of Gerhard Richter's black and white paintings. Like Richter, NIGIS seems interested in making a document that is both informational and deeply felt.