Gewereninspectie in een militair kamp in Zuid-Afrika 1901

This anonymous photograph captures soldiers inspecting rifles in a military camp in South Africa. I imagine the photographer setting up their equipment in the unforgiving sun, trying to capture a sense of routine amidst the stark reality of military life. I’m thinking about the kind of pressure the photographer was under; the technology they were using – which now seems so antiquated. Did they consider themselves an artist? Did they think about composition, or just point and shoot? I see the muted tones, a kind of khaki haze. And I wonder what they wanted to convey? This makes me think of other artists like Gerhard Richter who engage with photography. Ultimately, art-making becomes a conversation across time, doesn't it? Each photograph, each painting, each artwork builds upon what came before, resonating in unexpected ways. It leaves you with more questions than answers, which is what makes it so interesting to me.