Twee foto's van toeschouwers bij de Varsity, 11 mei 1924 Possibly 1924 - 1925

Hendrik Herman van den Berg took these two photographs of spectators at the Varsity in 1924. The monochromatic palette used here really speaks to the process of photography at this time. The photograph looks almost like a drawing. You can see where the image has been manipulated, almost like charcoal smudges. This gives the photo a painterly quality which, for me, encourages a deeper engagement with the subject matter. The artist has managed to capture a sense of movement, with blurred figures that have a painterly, energetic feel. Look at the figure wearing a hat in the lower left of the bottom frame. Notice how the hat casts a shadow on the face, obscuring the details. This simple detail adds an element of mystery to the image. It reminds me a little of Gerhard Richter’s blurred photographs, which he often uses as the basis for his paintings, obscuring the original intention in favour of a more ambiguous aesthetic.