Pimpelmees op tak van vogelhuisje c. 1870 - 1940

This is a photograph called ‘Pimpelmees op tak van vogelhuisje’ made by Adolphe Burdet. It’s a black and white image, which can be so grounding, but I’m drawn to the way the monochrome focuses my attention on the textures and forms. I love the rough bark of the birdhouse and the smoothness of the branch. It makes you consider the physical world. Look at the delicate feathers of the bird and the bird’s intense gaze, it’s as though it's aware of being observed. The background blurs, which draws you into the present moment, all that matters is the bird, its home, and the branch. This attention to detail makes me think of Bernd and Hilla Becher, with their typologies of industrial structures, but here, instead of a water tower, we have a little bird looking right at you.