Strand 1900 - 1922

This gelatin silver print called "Strand" was made by Robert Julius Boers. The composition is bisected by a horizon line, creating distinct zones. Below, the tactile arrangement of rounded objects contrasts with the smooth, seemingly endless expanse of water above. The image is presented in a stereoscopic format, with two nearly identical photographs placed side by side. This setup aimed to simulate depth and spatial realism for the viewer through binocular vision. The sepia tone unifies the image, but it also distances us from the scene, suggesting a past era. The photograph's texture, with its grainy details and soft focus, emphasizes its materiality, reminding us that this is an object, not just a window onto the world. This echoes the structuralist idea that the medium shapes the message. Ultimately, the photograph invites us to consider how we construct meaning from visual information. It is a reminder of the layered processes of seeing, interpreting, and understanding our world.