Constructie van een gebouwencomplex 1914 - 1919

This black and white photograph, called 'Constructie van een gebouwencomplex', is a mysterious record of an unknown place, time, and maker. The way the buildings are set back from the road, framed by these looming palm trees, it's like a stage set. Look at how the light falls, creating these ghostly haloes around the structures, giving it an ethereal quality. You can almost feel the humidity hanging in the air. The artist isn't trying to hide the way the photo was made, the imperfections are part of the experience. It’s a bit like when you see a painter allowing their underpainting to come through. It reminds me of some of Eugène Atget’s photographs of Paris. There’s something about his work that feels similarly open-ended. Like this photo, Atget seemed more interested in process and the passage of time, rather than making some grand artistic statement. It's like they’re just saying, "Hey, here’s what I saw." And that, in itself, is kind of beautiful.