Brug naar het Noordereiland c. 1940 - 1946

This small photographic print shows a bridge in the Netherlands, and although we don't know who took it, we can imagine them seeing the world in shades of gray, which is how the process of photography at the time allowed them to see. Looking at the surface, the graininess gives the whole scene a kind of texture, like a memory slowly fading. The bridge itself is a strong horizontal, and the trolley wires crisscrossing above create a network of lines that pull your eye around. I’m drawn to the way the light falls on the wet road, reflecting the sky, making the ground seem almost liquid. There’s something about the anonymity of this image that makes it feel universal. It reminds me a little of Eugène Atget, who documented the streets of Paris at the turn of the century. Art isn't always about grand statements; sometimes, it’s about noticing the quiet moments in between.