Hunebed van Kerguntuil, Trégastel Possibly 1939

Editor: This is Jan Lanting's photograph, possibly from 1939, titled "Hunebed van Kerguntuil, Trégastel." It depicts what looks like the interior of a very old stone structure. The monochromatic image evokes a sense of timelessness. How do you interpret this work in its historical context? Curator: This image speaks volumes about how we engage with the past, especially through a lens influenced by present-day ideologies. Consider that this dolmen was erected thousands of years ago, and then photographed in the late 1930s. What does it mean to document a space designed for ritual, burial, or community gathering using a relatively modern technology like photography? Editor: That's a great question. Is it about trying to capture or preserve a history that’s already fragmented or perhaps mythologized? Curator: Precisely! Furthermore, consider the visual language: a low angle, seemingly inside the tomb. What does it suggest about the photographer’s, and subsequently, our position in relation to the builders and original users of this space? Do we feel like intruders? Are we invited to participate, or merely observe? Does the use of black and white evoke nostalgia, or does it instead underscore the sense of remoteness? And whose gaze is privileged here? Is it that of the archeologist, the historian, or something else entirely? Editor: I didn't think about it that way before, it's not a neutral document. The photograph adds another layer to an already complex history, shaping how we understand it. Curator: Exactly. Recognizing these layered interpretations allows us to critically assess how historical narratives are constructed and whose voices are amplified or silenced in the process. Editor: Thank you, I definitely have a lot more to consider about how we see and understand ancient places. Curator: The pleasure is mine. Never forget to question whose story is being told, and how.