Twee foto's van mensen zwemmend in zee, Noordwijk 1911 - 1918

Here are two photographs taken by Carolina (Loentje) Frederika Onnen of people swimming in the sea, Noordwijk. I see these bathers wading into the waves and wonder what the water felt like on that day? Did the artist feel she was capturing something ephemeral or profound? Photography is about freezing a moment of time. Onnen’s photographs are faded and discolored, bearing the traces of the passing of time. The wear and tear only serves to deepen the mystery of the work. The artist offers us an intimate view of a group of figures, and then an oblique one of lone swimmers. Photography and painting have always had a symbiotic relationship. Perhaps Onnen was making notes for a series of paintings? Artists are always in dialogue with one another, each one absorbing and transforming ideas across time. It is rare to find one that has not been in some way inspired by what came before.