Noordzijde van de Sint-Janskerk te Hoensbroek 1910

This photograph, "Noordzijde van de Sint-Janskerk te Hoensbroek," probably taken around the turn of the century, captures a church with such a subdued palette that it feels like a memory. The sepia tones blend the stone, roof and sky together. It's all process here, the photographer’s choice of light, the development of the image, each decision informing the final piece. I love how the rough texture of the church contrasts with the smooth, almost velvety quality of the sky, rendered in monochrome. See how the steeple reaches skyward, but its form is softened by the atmospheric haze. A similar effect can be seen in the painting of Gerhard Richter, whose blurred photographs capture a similar feeling of blurred time and movement. The photograph, with its limited tonal range, invites us to look beyond mere representation and consider the transience of time and the enduring presence of the past. It's less about capturing a specific moment and more about evoking a feeling, a mood, a memory. And isn’t that what art is all about?