Instructie gebruik mortier 1940 - 1945

This photograph of a mortar, 'Instructie gebruik mortier,' lives in the Rijksmuseum, and was made by an anonymous artist. The gray tones and grainy texture give it an immediate, documentary feel. It reminds us that art-making can be about capturing a moment, a process, or an event as much as about expressing a singular vision. There's a stark quality to the image, a kind of raw exposure. The details are muted, almost dissolving into the tonal range of browns and grays. Look closely at the figure in the foreground with his hands clasped behind his back; there’s a tension in his stance that the picture captures. It's easy to get lost in the details of the image. This piece, with its somber tones and focus on instruction, brings to mind the work of Gerhard Richter and his series of black and white photo-paintings. Like Richter, the anonymous photographer invites us to reflect on how images shape our understanding of history, memory, and the world around us. It’s a reminder that art doesn't always provide answers; sometimes, it asks us to question what we think we know.