Hippopotamus, Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Possibly 1985 - 1986

Volker Seding snapped this photograph, Hippopotamus, Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, at an unknown date. What emerges is a fascinating exploration of captivity, both the hippo’s and perhaps our own as viewers. I can imagine Seding setting up his camera, carefully framing the shot to capture this hulking, majestic creature within its enclosure. What was he thinking as he peered through the lens? Was he contemplating the animal's lost freedom, or perhaps drawing parallels to our own constructed environments? The stark bars of the enclosure create a visual barrier, a cage within a cage. And then there's that soft, diffused light, bathing the scene in an almost dreamlike quality. The gentle greens and grays enhance the quiet melancholy, inviting us to reflect on our relationship with the natural world and the ethical considerations of keeping animals in captivity. This image reminds me of work by other photographers like Rineke Dijkstra, who find beauty in unexpected places.