Groep militairen voor de Harmonie te Vlaardingen 1941 - 1945

This small photograph of a group of soldiers in front of the Harmonie in Vlaardingen comes to us anonymously, like a whisper from the past. There is a process of revelation in the darkroom, a dance between light and chemistry, which echoes the way we make sense of history. The photograph has a tactile quality, with its slightly faded tones, evoking nostalgia, and the formal arrangement of the soldiers creates a sense of order and solidarity, yet there's also a human element in their varying poses and expressions. I’m drawn to the soldier standing slightly apart, with his jaunty stance and the subtle hint of a smile. In that single figure, I see the push and pull between conformity and individuality, duty and personal expression. It reminds me a little of August Sander's portraits, where the individual emerges from the type. These are not grand statements, but quiet, human moments caught in time.