Ariel Dam, Washington [staat], Verenigde Staten: autobus 1936

This black and white photograph of a bus was taken by Wouter Cool in Washington state. The tonality of the photograph feels so considered, like a well-balanced painting, nothing is accidental. Look at the texture of the gravel under the bus's tires, compared with the shiny bodywork. Cool doesn't appear to have manipulated the photo to any great degree; it's the honesty and unpretentious quality that makes it so appealing. The surfaces are matter-of-fact. The light is evenly distributed, but with enough contrast to define the forms without drama. The driver is caught in mid-stride, about to board the bus. It looks so modern, like a still from a Jim Jarmusch movie. Cool’s photographs remind me of the work of the Bechers, Bernd and Hilla, who documented industrial structures. Both have that similar deadpan quality, an embrace of imperfection, and a focus on everyday subjects. Ultimately, what they share is an acceptance of the world as it is, without trying to impose a particular point of view.