Norbert van den Berg bij een lemen huis, vermoedelijk in Transvaal, Zuid-Afrika 1967 - 1971

Curator: I find this small-scale photograph deeply compelling. It depicts Norbert van den Berg standing before a mud house, most likely in Transvaal, South Africa. The photograph is dated between 1967 and 1971. Editor: Immediately striking is the house itself. It seems quite elemental, the white plastered walls contrasting sharply with the darker, presumably thatched roof. And look at the materiality—the labor required to construct such a dwelling using the local materials that were available! Curator: Precisely. The photo serves as an interesting document of vernacular architecture and its relationship to the landscape. Note also how this domestic structure intersects with a portrait of the artist, complicating our understanding of Norbert van den Berg's position within the society. Who lived there? What relationship did they have to van den Berg? Editor: The rough-hewn character of the construction points to a readily available technology, passed down generations perhaps. But let's not romanticize, we should consider the broader political dynamics shaping life in Transvaal at the time, particularly issues surrounding resource distribution and access to materials. It seems significant, then, that van den Berg chooses to document this type of living structure at all. Curator: That's precisely where the image gains historical heft. During the late 60s and early 70s, South Africa was deeply entrenched in the apartheid system. So, in effect, van den Berg is implicitly making a socio-political statement through this choice of subject. Editor: What intrigues me most, though, is how simply composed it is. This image speaks to the availability of resources and the ways in which we construct homes using those means, which, in turn, influences how society functions at a core level. Curator: I concur, it's fascinating how an apparently simple photograph reveals intricate webs of culture, history, and politics. Editor: Absolutely, something profound in the everyday and the way that materials can shape both structures and societies.