Fietsers bij ruïnes van de Marinierskazerne aan het Oostplein te Rotterdam c. 1940 - 1945

This photograph by J. Nolte captures a scene of cyclists near the ruins of the Marinierskazerne at Oostplein in Rotterdam. The grayscale tones lend a somber yet reflective quality to the image. The material aspects of this photograph really strike me. The buildings stand in stark contrast to the everyday activity of people cycling by. The texture of the ruined buildings, with their hollowed-out windows and crumbling facades, is so different from the smooth surfaces of the street and the bicycles. It makes you wonder about the stories of resilience amidst destruction, and the continuation of life even in the face of devastation. There is a sort of echo here with the work of artists like Anselm Kiefer, who often deals with themes of memory, destruction, and rebirth. Like Kiefer’s art, this photograph embraces ambiguity, inviting us to reflect on the complexities of history and human experience.