Werkzaamheden soldaten 1948 - 1949

This is a page from an anonymous album, likely made in the mid-20th century, showing black and white photos of soldiers. There’s something about the brown cardboard of the album page itself, the way it’s aged and scuffed, that speaks to me. It’s like a ground, a foundation, upon which these little moments are placed. The photographs are like sketches, or studies, of life at a particular moment. The eye is drawn from image to image and also to the mounting squares, like a reminder that this is a curated, crafted artifact. It's interesting to see what's included, what's been left out, and how the photos are arranged. It is like a visual poem made of found elements, and the meaning emerges through the relationships between them. It reminds me of the work of Gerhard Richter, who also used photography as a starting point for his paintings, exploring the relationship between representation and abstraction. Ultimately, this album page is a reminder that art is not just about the finished product, but about the process of making, seeing, and thinking.