Dirk (57) Possibly 2015

This photograph entitled Dirk (57) was created by Gerrit Meerman, who was born in 1957. There’s something about the way this image is composed that reminds me of the Dutch Masters - that sense of capturing someone in their domestic sphere. I’m struck by the muted palette that runs throughout the photograph - sandy yellows, denim blues, and candy pinks. The clothes airer on the left adds to this sense of everyday life, the small colorful pegs bringing a playful note to what is otherwise a serious work. The ‘Staff Only’ sign to the right also invites narrative speculation. Is the sitter a pilot in a simulator? What kind of work does he do? The domestic realism reminds me of Martin Parr’s photography, that same voyeuristic sensibility and eye for details. Ultimately, the photograph leaves us with a feeling of ambiguity, capturing the quiet drama of the everyday.