Bijeenkomst van leerlingen van Schule Schloss Salem tijdens een schoolverkiezing c. 1929

This is a black and white photograph of a gathering of students during a school election. The sepia tones give a nostalgic feel, don’t they? You can see the age in the surface texture. The way the light falls unevenly across the image, you get the sense that time is passing here. Focusing on the students, note how they’re arranged: some sit at a long table, others on benches around the perimeter. The photographer has captured them in a moment of serious contemplation, each student is a study in composure. In my own work I'm constantly thinking about time, about how images shift and morph over time. This photograph reminds me of that – how a single moment can hold so much history and so many stories. It’s like looking at a painting by Gerhard Richter, where the blurred edges and muted tones create a sense of distance and reflection. It's not just a record, it's an invitation to imagine.