Main street in Canton 1908

Geldolph Adriaan Kessler made this photograph of Main Street in Canton, but when? The lack of a firm date pushes us to consider the work as a captured moment, a piece of time. The monochromatic palette makes us focus on the texture, the surfaces, the grit of the street. Look closely and you can see the paving stones worn smooth by countless feet, a testament to the everyday grind. Then there are the buildings that loom on either side, crammed with signs and details. I’m drawn to the slight blur of the figures walking in the street. They're not posed, they're just caught in the act of living, and that gives the image a real sense of immediacy and authenticity. This photo makes me think of Eugène Atget, who photographed Paris at the turn of the century, and like Atget, Kessler captures a world that is both familiar and strange. It leaves you wondering about all the stories contained within this single frame.