Vader en moeder 1940 - 1943

This is an intriguing collection of black and white photographs pasted into what looks like an old album. I’m struck by the way the artist–photographer has framed the subjects in relation to the domestic settings. The figures seem very self-aware, caught between private and public life. I can imagine the photographer arranging and posing the subjects, thinking about light and shadow, space and depth, all those tricky things we consider when trying to capture a meaningful image. As a painter, I can sympathize with the way they would be using light to create tonal variation and mood; to generate the emotional and intellectual atmosphere of the scene. It reminds me of my own work, where I often use photographs as a starting point. What I find compelling here is the connection between one artist and another across time. I like to think of myself as being in an ongoing conversation with other image makers, inspiring each other’s creativity, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty.