Bescherming bruggen tegen ijsgang 1945 - 1946

This is a gelatin silver print by Charles Breijer. It shows the bare bones of infrastructure, the means of protecting bridges against ice. I'm thinking about how this image becomes a meditation on structure and support. It is like a painting in its construction, an abstract arrangement of forms that create a new kind of seeing. There's a quiet beauty in the image, a study of light, texture, and composition. Look closely at the wooden structures and their reflections in the water, the bridge supports creating both literal and figurative foundations. What were Breijer's motivations and intentions in creating this image? What might they tell us about our relationship to the built environment? Like all artists, Breijer probably wanted to find the extraordinary in the ordinary.