Militairen bij de begrafenis van drie gevallen militairen 1941 - 1945

Curator: This gelatin silver print, "Militairen bij de begrafenis van drie gevallen militairen" or "Soldiers at the Funeral of Three Fallen Soldiers," comes to us anonymously from between 1941 and 1945. It's quite chilling. What strikes you first about it? Editor: It’s the stark, unforgiving grayscale and rigid orderliness of the composition. Even without knowing the context, the weight of mourning hangs heavy; a silent symphony in shades of grey, wouldn’t you agree? I’m drawn to the physicality of the gelatin silver; each print, unique and hands-on, becomes a small act of preservation or maybe remembrance in itself, considering how ubiquitous this type of photo printing became! Curator: Absolutely. The anonymous nature makes me consider it a document more than a personal statement. Imagine the photographer—risking so much to capture this event during wartime. You can feel the tension of the period reflected in the crisp edges of the print and how sharply the details appear. Editor: Speaking of details, observe the varying degrees of wear on their uniforms, all clearly mass produced, perhaps reflecting the quick pace of war production and consumption. Each thread spun for purpose, now a monument…or evidence of mortality? Then think of the darkroom labor itself: developing, fixing, washing the print by hand – so much manual labor is contained inside such small scale format! Curator: It makes one ponder the narratives not shown here too, and wonder what kind of narratives, histories, and personal stories we aren't ever meant to see because there's no evidence or image to recall it by. Also, that the identity of who even made the document, is shrouded with silence as if it were yet another thing stolen or lost because of that war! Editor: Yes! Because it speaks to both the intentional and unintentional stories contained within. It also makes me consider what happens when we focus on process and material—that shifts value away, right, from just artistic genius towards the workers’ fingerprints of those photos being created. The final artifact then holds far more possibilities because it goes deeper! What do you think now looking closer? Curator: Seeing it through your eyes, I feel a profound connection to all the untold efforts behind creating and documenting the moment itself and the loss felt by not only these uniformed servicemen at their peers funerals. I think now I may even be feeling like some sense of quiet gratitude for the preservation done!