The Girl with the Tribal Earring - An Ode to Vermeer
Inspiration was a chance encounter. A young French women stopped me in my tracks and sent my mind spinning.
The je ne sais quoi of French ladies is well documented but impossible to pinpoint. It is not just fashion or flare. It is an inner strength & beauty. Allow me to show you rather than tell you........ When I first this lady I was struck by her poise. That first moment, she reminded me of Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring". A classic beauty. Instead of a pearl she wore a hand carved tribal Kuru.
We talked about taking the picture for many months. She has a passion for piercings. The more time we spent together the more I realized the affect of these piercings on the outside world. Strangers became astonishingly emboldened. Asking pointed and often rude, direct questions. Offering unsolicited opinions. The patience and elegance I witnessed - in these often uncomfortable exchanges - impressed and enlighten me.
Even aggressors - when approached with peace and generosity - can be awakened to new beauty in their lives.
The Valpincon Bather Reborn - An Ode to Ingres
In studying these great works I have been compelled to make my own comment. I have chosen to emulate these painting as photographs. In my thought process, they have developed a modern twist, which has turned out to be a little surreal. I have selected sitters with tattoos and other forms of body art.
Although the art of self adornment and tattoo is a truly ancient one, it has seen an enormous resurgence in our modern times. It is now considered to be a very modern statement. I am fascinated by this dichotomy of ancient and modern. I look forward to the surrealist twists and turns ahead.
