Portretten van Duitse militairen 1940

This is a photo album page, with portraits of German soldiers, by an anonymous photographer. We don't know when these photographs were taken, but they offer a fascinating and unsettling view into a particular moment in time. The monochromatic tones in the photographs create a visual language that is both stark and intimate. Look at the image of the soldier in the bottom frame. The graininess and flatness of the image somehow enhance the sitter's gaze, making you feel like you're looking directly into his eyes. There's a directness, but also, a strange kind of vulnerability to the image. The artist's hand may be invisible, but the traces of their process are deeply felt. It reminds me of the work of Gerhard Richter and his use of photography as a painting source, who similarly embraced chance and imperfection. It's a reminder that art is not about perfection, but about the messy, beautiful, and often uncomfortable process of seeing and being seen.