Vouwmachine in de drukkerij 1921

This photograph, “Vouwmachine in de drukkerij” by T. Kaneo shows us a printing press in action. It's all about process, right? You see the machine itself, this crazy tangle of gears and levers, frozen mid-action. The surfaces are mesmerizing, worn and weathered. It's easy to imagine the slick feel of oil, and the rough texture of cast iron. If you look closer, you can see the individual components bolted together, each with its own specific function. It's all these smaller gestures adding up to a larger whole. It reminds me a bit of Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs of industrial structures. Like the Becher's, Kaneo's picture captures something both functional and weirdly beautiful about these machines. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places, even in the heart of a factory.