Bescherming bruggen tegen ijsgang 1945 - 1946

This black and white photograph by Charles Breijer shows wooden structures that protect bridges from ice. The image is fascinating because of its geometry and the way that the repeated forms of the wooden barriers create a pattern. Look closely, and you can see the textures of the wood and the water. The grain of the wood, the rivets and the way the light reflects on the water all add layers of complexity to the image. The photograph is not just a record of a physical structure, but an exploration of light, texture, and form. The way the wooden structures are arranged creates a kind of rhythm, a visual beat that pulls you into the image, something like Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs of industrial buildings. What I love about this image is the combination of functionality and form, and the way that Breijer manages to find beauty in the everyday. It is in these quiet moments of observation that art reveals its power.