Vijf leden van de Reichsarbeitsdienst in een landschap 1940 - 1945

This small black and white photograph captures five members of the Reich Labour Service in a landscape. The artist is anonymous. You know, I’m always fascinated by anonymous works, because it makes me wonder about the act of creation itself, right? I imagine this artist, maybe an amateur, positioning these figures, focusing the lens, and snapping the shot. What were they thinking? Were they trying to capture the feeling of the landscape, or the sense of camaraderie among these men? There’s an odd formality to the scene, everyone lined up, but the landscape behind them feels really unresolved. The surface has aged, and the tones are muted, lending an aura of mystery to the figures. I’m interested in the texture of the photograph; the way the light catches on the slight grain of the paper. It's a material thing and these decisions and processes, as with painting, can transform our perception, and allow for all sorts of interpretations and meaning over time.