Aūer Dult, München, 1965
Vintage gelatin silver print
Image size: 11 ½ × 9 in
Framed size: 20 ½ × 17 ¼ in
July 8, 2024
This picture is a charming example of the way that German photographer Peter Keetman used the science of photography to achieve elegant modernist artistry. Photographing a fairground ride in Munich from above, the recurring striped circular canopies yield a composition that is at once balanced and energetic. The blur of motion at the top of the carousel is the first clue there is more in the picture than first meets the eye. Closer inspection of the blurred forms encircling the ride reveals the barely visible presence of its riders, suspended and spinning in air—rendered nearly invisible by the camera's exposure time. What becomes apparent is how thoroughly Keetman has transformed the scene, taking a highly kinetic (and no doubt noisy) moment, and depicting it with an air of poised and graceful calm.
