Ceremonie Duitse Wehrmacht 1941 - 1942

This photo album page, titled 'Ceremonie Duitse Wehrmacht,' from an anonymous maker, captures a formal moment with sharp monochrome contrasts. The way these images are presented, collected together, suggests an art-making process of assemblage and collation. The physicality of this object is important: each small, crisp photograph is carefully mounted on a heavy grey page. This creates a layered effect that encourages close looking. The serrated edges of each print give the images a tactile quality, contrasting with the sombre subject matter. The stark contrast of the black and white emphasizes the regimented lines of the soldiers, making each figure seem both individual and part of a larger, imposing structure. Looking at the way these photographs are grouped, their placement and juxtaposition, the work reminds me a little bit of Gerhard Richter’s photo paintings, where the act of reproduction and re-presentation alters our perception of history and truth. Like Richter, this album page challenges us to question the nature of image-making and its power to shape our understanding of the world. Ultimately, it's a powerful, if unsettling, piece.