Militaire basis en vliegveld bij Suchon 1952 - 1959

This image, *Militaire basis en vliegveld bij Suchon*, was made by David Ketel. It looks like it might be a photograph, probably taken sometime in the mid-20th century. The color palette is remarkable; muted yet vivid, the eye is drawn across the frame, following the diagonal line of the runway, punctuated by planes like commas in a sentence. The landscape, rendered in shades of green and brown, is both inviting and unsettling, that open runway, where will it take you? Look at the way Ketel uses light; the overall scene is brightly lit, but there are subtle variations in tone and shadow. The hangars, tents and buildings in the foreground have a solidity, with a strong sense of volume and depth, which adds a tactile quality to the scene. The photograph reminds me of Gerhard Richter’s blurred paintings from photographs, how he invites us to question our relationship to images and what they represent. Ketel seems to be inviting us to consider a similar question, a challenge to the viewer, and a reminder that art is always an invitation to see the world anew.