Gewondentransport per brancard op de berghellingen van de Dolomieten, vermoedelijk Italianen 1916

Editor: This photograph, "Gewondentransport per brancard op de berghellingen van de Dolomieten, vermoedelijk Italianen" or "Wounded transport by stretcher on the mountain slopes of the Dolomites, presumably Italians" was taken in 1916 and realized with gelatin silver print. The figures carrying wounded seem so small against this imposing landscape. What catches your eye? Curator: The real power here resides in the material conditions depicted and how they impact human labor. Think about the context: World War I, fought partly in these unforgiving mountains. Look at the medium, gelatin silver print – mass producible, a means to disseminate images of the conflict. Editor: So you're saying the materials used to make the artwork are linked to a social process, in this case war and media coverage? Curator: Precisely. And beyond the image itself, consider the labor involved in producing these photographs and transporting equipment under harsh conditions. It connects the making of art directly with military activity. We also can question why certain moments get immortalized versus others, what does war mean for art production, for the technology involved and vice versa. Editor: It reframes how I see the image. I initially focused on the scene itself, but you’re drawing attention to production – to the means by which we are even able to witness this scene. Curator: Yes. The gelatin silver print is itself a product of wartime demand for easily reproducible images, highlighting photography's increasing role in shaping public perception and documenting historical moments. Also what is excluded? Why certain views, this view was captured instead of others? Editor: I'm beginning to grasp how understanding the materiality and historical context offers such deeper insight than just looking at the image in isolation. Curator: Exactly! The act of taking and disseminating these photos involves logistics, economic considerations, and the manipulation of perception, elements all shaped by conflict. It's no longer just landscape, it's wartime materiality.