Tom Hunter

It's always interesting to me to see where artists draw their inspiration from and how they incorporate it into their work. I came across a British photographer named Tom Hunter who is inspired by the Old Master painter Vermeer. Like Vermeer, he captures the images of everyday life and people of the small town he lives in. Hunter wrote an essay on his admiration of Vermeer and said, "For me he has created a template for artists wanting to show the dignity of the ordinary people involved in their daily lives, lifting the ordinary into the extraordinary. Whether the medium is painting, photography or film the aims stand as a testament to a honourable tradition of equality and social justice, through attention to detail and a rendition of beauty in the ordinary."

In a series called Persons Unknown, he used some of Vermeer's paintings as a direct influence in the photos. For this series he took specific Vermeer paintings and recreated the scenes in a modern context and with a modern narrative. The lighting and color in all of his works are also heavily inspired by Vermeer.

L: Woman Reading a Possesssion Order, Hunter

R: Girl at a Window Reading a Letter, Vermeer

As students who are studying art history, I think it's important to see the possibilities in using these old images and techniques of different mediums in a modern way.