Waterlelies bij Shewasaulu, Zuid-Afrika 1968

Willem Jacob van den Berg captured these photographs of Waterlelies bij Shewasaulu, Zuid-Afrika, sometime in the mid-20th century, probably with a simple camera. There's something so peaceful about this scene, this still water reflecting the sky. The artist is using a palette of greens, blues, and browns to convey a sense of natural harmony. See how the dark, vertical strokes of the reeds contrast with the horizontal expanse of the water and sky, creating a kind of visual rhythm? It feels less about capturing a specific place and more about evoking a mood, a feeling of tranquility. And the way the light shimmers on the water's surface, it's almost like an abstract painting. It reminds me a little of Gerhard Richter’s blurred landscapes, where the focus is less on detail and more on the overall impression. It's this ambiguity, this openness to interpretation, that makes it so compelling.