Twee mannen, gehurkt, kokend bij een kampvuur c. 1910

John C. Hunter made this photograph, Twee mannen, gehurkt, kokend bij een kampvuur, which translates to 'Two men, squatting, cooking at a campfire,' we don't know exactly when. The monochromatic picture plane is suffused with a soft, hazy light that blurs the distinction between the figures and the landscape. The men are crouched low to the ground, a campfire burning between them. Their bodies form a triangular composition, mirrored in the arrangement of the surrounding trees, a serene lake in the background. I imagine Hunter, like a painter, carefully composed his shot, thinking through the contrasts and shadows. The dark strokes of the campfire and the men’s silhouettes offset against the muted backdrop of the landscape. In the gesture of his hand, we find a kind of intentionality. This piece reminds us that all artists, whether painters or photographers, are in conversation with each other. They embrace uncertainty and open-endedness, allowing for multiple readings.