Leden van koninklijk huis en koning Gustaaf van Zweden 1945 - 1946

This photograph, taken by Anefo, captures the Swedish Royal Family with King Gustaaf of Sweden and is preserved at the Rijksmuseum. The way the light is captured in this picture reminds me of working with charcoal, trying to find the form within the shade. The image quality is grainy, not very sharp, which gives it a ghostly feel, like we’re seeing something we’re not supposed to see. See how the light reflects off the King’s glasses and crown, creating a kind of aura? This use of light really grabs my attention. It’s how we perceive them, not as people, but as symbols, icons. The soft blacks and greys create a somber mood that hangs over the whole scene. It’s easy to make connections with other artists, like Gerhard Richter who used blurry images in his paintings, questioning the nature of representation. In this photograph, like in Richter's paintings, the mystery is more interesting than the clarity.