Broken Glass
Photograph
1980s (made)
1980s (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Edward Hartwig was a Polish photographer active over 50 years as a practitioner and champion of the medium. 'Broken Glass' was taken in Warsaw and is typical of Hartwig's more experimental photographs. He sometimes used devices such as the glass in this image to frame shots. The texture of the sharply broken glass - the criss-crossing cracks in the pane and the precariously-attached pieces - are the initial focus of attention. Upon closer inspection, part of a skyline takes shape and the viewer is drawn into the picture plane.
This is one of Hartwig's more aggressive, jarring images. It is also one of few politically-charged images produced by the artist. The glass is symbolic of the fractured state of Polish politics during the 1980s, a time of civil unrest and martial law.
This is one of Hartwig's more aggressive, jarring images. It is also one of few politically-charged images produced by the artist. The glass is symbolic of the fractured state of Polish politics during the 1980s, a time of civil unrest and martial law.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Broken Glass (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Gelatin silver print |
| Brief description | Photograph, gelatin silver print, 'Broken Glass', Edward Hartwig, Warsaw, 1980s. |
| Physical description | Black and white photograph of a cityscape seen through broken glass. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Acquired with the support of the Friends of the V&A |
| Summary | Edward Hartwig was a Polish photographer active over 50 years as a practitioner and champion of the medium. 'Broken Glass' was taken in Warsaw and is typical of Hartwig's more experimental photographs. He sometimes used devices such as the glass in this image to frame shots. The texture of the sharply broken glass - the criss-crossing cracks in the pane and the precariously-attached pieces - are the initial focus of attention. Upon closer inspection, part of a skyline takes shape and the viewer is drawn into the picture plane. This is one of Hartwig's more aggressive, jarring images. It is also one of few politically-charged images produced by the artist. The glass is symbolic of the fractured state of Polish politics during the 1980s, a time of civil unrest and martial law. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.651-2009 |
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| Record created | December 2, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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