Hamody Gannam

Inkjet print, 19.5X29 cm., 2014 

The artist photographed the flower picker as part of a photography competition held in Turkey. There are clear visual ties with Girl with the Pearl Earring, a painting by the famous Vermeer: the slight tilting of the head, the angle of the neck, the way the light falls on the woman’s face, the glance at the viewer, and above all else - the anonymity of the figure, surrounding her in mystery.

In Vermeer’s painting, the portrait of a girl painted on a black background highlights the colours of the figure. In Gannam's work, a woman gathers flowers in a field. Her hands do not rest, nor does she bother to pose to the photographer. Her identity is unknown, but as the wrinkle on her forehead indicates, she does not pick flowers for pleasure.