Zuidzijde van de Maartenskerk te Doorn 1890 - 1920

This photograph shows the south side of the Maartenskerk in Doorn, snapped by an anonymous photographer from Monumentenzorg, and printed on some kind of matte paper. The whole image lives in this sort of hazy sepia tone, which to me gives it this feeling of both a snapshot and an artifact. Looking at the image, my eye is drawn to the part of the roof that’s been pulled away. You can see the bones of the building. These crisscrossing beams remind me of a drawing, almost like charcoal lines laid down to define the space. The photo captures the architecture in a state of change, with that lovely tension between fragility and strength. It reminds me of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who photographed industrial structures with such objectivity, yet somehow managed to imbue them with this quiet dignity. And just like the Bechers, this photographer elevates the everyday into something really special, making us rethink the stories behind these silent buildings.