Braat afpak pers 1931 - 1937

This black and white photograph from an unknown date shows a Braat Afpak Pers, and it makes me think about the physicality of process, the weight of labor. There's something about the starkness here that brings out the essence of the machine, a kind of beauty in its functionality. I'm drawn to the repetition of the forms, the geometric shapes that make up its structure. The light catches the edges, creating a delicate balance between light and shadow. The anonymous figure standing beside the machine lends scale to the photograph, offering a suggestion about the scale of the machine. I wonder about the workers who operated it, the physical demands of the job. The surface of the photograph seems aged, worn, like a memory fading with time. Looking at this anonymous photograph, I am reminded of other artists like Bernd and Hilla Becher. They also had an interest in industrial architecture, in documenting these structures before they disappeared. This piece captures a specific moment in time, an idea of process and form that transcends its original purpose.