Politieagent te paard, pier Hoboken, New York, Verenigde Staten 1936

Wouter Cool made this gelatin silver print of a mounted policeman at Pier Hoboken in New York. It's all silvery greys. The photo gives us a composition of soft contrasts, with the dark horse and rider against the light background. I think the artist has managed to capture something truly unique, even though it's a photo. What was Cool thinking when he made it? Was he interested in the juxtaposition of man and horse? Was he looking at the power relations between them and the world? The horse is so still, almost statuesque. I am curious about its gaze. It reminds me of the work of other photographers such as August Sander, who sought to document and classify people based on their professions and social roles. In both practices, there is an impulse to understand and categorize the world through visual means. Artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.