Gebouw van de Gebroeders Kerkhof 1914 - 1919

Editor: This photograph, entitled "Gebouw van de Gebroeders Kerkhof," was taken sometime between 1914 and 1919. The starkness of the building and the lone horse and carriage really strike me. What details stand out to you, considering the materiality of the photographic process itself? Curator: It's compelling how this seemingly simple image encapsulates so much about production and labor at the time. Notice the building's architecture, clearly indicating access to specific materials like stone and timber. Now think about the labor needed, from the quarrying of stone, the work of carpenters and other laborers and the building's construction, alongside the economics surrounding horse-drawn transport. The photograph then, far from being a ‘realistic’ view, is an index of economic and labor activities. Editor: That’s fascinating! It also looks like the photographer aimed for realism as a style. Does the photograph’s surface – the paper, the chemical emulsion – tell us more about the photographer's material constraints and potential class associations at the time? Curator: Absolutely. The choice of photographic paper, the chemicals used in development – these weren't neutral choices. They speak volumes about accessibility, both in terms of financial resources and technical expertise. Realism in photography is, therefore, as much about material accessibility and available resources as it is about artistic intent. Who gets to represent "reality," and with what means? That is always a critical question. Editor: So it’s not just the scene depicted, but the photographic process itself that reveals the socioeconomic conditions of the time? Curator: Precisely. This photograph serves as an archive, but not just of the cityscape; also as a historical record of economic production, from buildings and transportation. We can analyze the materiality of both subjects and means of the art production. Editor: This definitely gives me a whole new way to see not only this photograph, but really all artworks.