A couple of weeks ago, I visited Brussels. Brussels is, among many other things, the seat of many institutions and the de facto capital of the European Union (EU). Maybe that’s why I was more sensitive than usual to motifs with a political subtext. So, here is a collection of images with a political connotation. 

These connotations are more pronounced on some images than in others. Sometimes, the photos are documentary in nature, and in those cases, they don’t express the political views of the photographer. In some instances, the photographs invite the viewer to make their own interpretations, to reflect on the possible political stance of the photographer and to develop their own views in the process. 

Brave New World

I found this frame near the Brussels Central station. No AI was involved in creating the monotonous wall that trails off into the distance. All I did was to darken the wall and lighten the surveillance camera to let it stand out despite its small size in the frame. The title is a bit ironic because our need of surveillance to keep the bad guys from committing crimes and possibly killing people seems like the symptom of a sick society to me. We need security cams like this one and this image is not meant to be a statement against them. But we also desperately need to fix the underlying issues that make these cams necessary in the first place.

Brave New World II

This photo is pretty similar to the previous one, but it adds the ironic connotation of the European Parliament being the initiator or surveillance. I don’t see the EU as a totalitarian institution and this camera is undoubtedly only used to maintain security in the heart of European democracy, so don’t take this image too seriously. 😉

Europa

The statue “is a representation of Europa, carried by a mass of people while also being a part of it. The figure carries an “E” or the Greek “ϵ”, the symbol of the euro and as a sign of European unity. The statue was given to Parliament by the Belgian presidency of the EU on 20 December 1993.” (Wikipedia)

The Future Is Europe

This image proves that as a photographer you need to be in the right place at the right time. The setting sun is an indispensable ingredient of the image as it creates the reflection that dominates the frame. For an image like this, you also need a camera with a high dynamic range to not loose too much shadow detail when exposing for the highlights. I was so hypnotised by the reflection that I initially didn’t notice the eponymous mural in the background. It was only when I lifted the shadows to the maximum that I realised it was there. This frame combines many separate or even disparate elements in the frame, but the combination stirs something in me that I can’t quite put my finger on. To me, the photo works wonderfully, but I can’t explain why.

Troubled Times

The wars in the Ukraine and Isreal/Palestine, the resurgence of far right-wing forces in many countries, the threat of Donald Trump and is henchmen becoming president again in the US, Wladimir Putin, climate change and global warming, to mention but a few problems – the list of global troubles is very long indeed. Despite all its problems and deficiencies, organisations like the European Union sometimes appear like bulwarks against a growing tide to me. It remains to be seen if they a strong enough to prevail or if they are swept away by the ever growing dark tide.

State of the Union

Despite the urgency of current challenges, the EU sometimes is very hard to grasp. The distorted representation of some EU office buildings in the window reflections is meant to symbolise this. 

EU Flags

There is no fancy meaning in this photograph. I included it here because I like it. Maybe this is because after all those gloomy thoughts above, this seems slightly more cheerful.

L’Etat Nous Ment!

Originally, I took the image because of the reflection in the window and didn’t pay any attention to the text in the foreground as I was preoccupied with getting the timing right. It was only when I saw the image on the computer that I realised how much meaning the text adds to the photograph. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with its message, the text should serve as a reminder that a healthy dose of scepticism and critical thinking is one of the key qualifications of democratic and informed citizens. 

I am concerned about the widespread praise of artificial intelligence as a groundbreaking technology. Many people fail to see that relying on AI for tasks such as reading, summarizing, analyzing, evaluating, and forming educated opinions may lead to a decline in our own skills over time. If we become overly dependent on AI for these abilities, it could make it easier for dishonest politicians from both the government and the opposition to deceive us. There’s value in doing things yourself. It keeps our sense sharp and our skills honed.

Conclusion

As always, I am curious to learn what you think. What kind of thoughts do they inspire in you? Do you agree with my interpretation of the images or do they tell a completely different story to you? Feel free to drop a line or two in the comments.