Aankomst van het graanschip van UNKRA 1953

This photograph by David Ketel shows the arrival of a UNKRA grain ship. It’s so interesting how a moment of arrival, of new beginnings, can be captured in a single frame. Look at the stacks of grain, tightly bound with rope. You can almost smell the earthiness of the harvest. I wonder what Ketel was thinking as he framed this shot. Did he feel the weight of responsibility in documenting this moment of international aid? I bet he did. And then there are the people – a mix of uniformed figures and civilians, all gathered, waiting. The mountains in the background give the scene scale. Ketel's picture-making has something of Walker Evans's directness, though with a sensitivity all his own. Artists document social moments like this to remind us of the complexities inherent in simple gestures of compassion. This is a small image that carries a big message, a testament to human resilience and solidarity.