Duitse militairen 1940 - 1945

This anonymous photograph called, “Duitse militairen” or “German Soldiers” is found in an album at the Rijksmuseum. The monochromatic images are like little frozen moments, stuck onto the grey page. There’s a fascinating texture to the print, a certain graininess and softness that only adds to the feeling of history. You can almost feel the cold seeping out of the images. In one, a soldier sits in the back of a truck, rifle in hand, a spare tyre between his legs. The grey tones make it hard to read, but this is the nature of memory, selective and hazy. Then, in the other picture, two figures stand by a signpost in the snow. It reminds me a bit of Gerhard Richter's photo paintings, where the blurry realism creates a sense of detachment and reflection. Like Richter, this anonymous photographer captures something essential about memory and representation. In the end, it’s a reminder that art, whether intentional or accidental, is an ongoing conversation.