Verwoeste brug over een rivier 1940 - 1945

This photograph, “Verwoeste brug over een rivier,” whose maker is unknown, captures a bridge reduced to rubble over a river. It's a study in destruction, but also, maybe, in the beauty of what remains. There’s a kind of accidental abstraction here, with the bridge’s skeletal remains splayed out like a cubist sculpture. The photograph shows a monochrome palette. The subtle greys are what hold the image together, giving it its somber feel. The textures are incredible, from the smooth water to the rough edges of the shattered bridge and crumbling banks. It reminds me that even in ruin, there's a strange kind of order. Look at that section in the foreground, the way the light catches the broken metal. It’s like a drawing in space, full of unexpected rhythms and angles. This image reminds me of the work of Gordon Matta-Clark, who made art by cutting into buildings, revealing their hidden layers. Both artists invite us to see the world differently, to find beauty in unexpected places.