The Writer As Explorer

“The Hallway” was photographed in 2005 by Erwin Olaf, a Dutch-born artist.  Olaf was born in 1959 in Hilversum, Netherlands. After 500 of his works landed him a spot in the Rijks museum, he became a knight of the Order of the Lion for all of the work he had done. Many of his photographs included people in marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community. His activism in these communities is inspiring. In fact, the Dutch royals requested portraits of themselves done by Olaf. Looking at the photograph “The Hallway,” it appears to be two people who were once close but have since grown apart. The man has his back turned to the woman while the woman has her face turned away from him. However, the woman’s body seems to inch towards him, as if hoping for a reconciliation. Her foot on the far side of us is pointed directly at him as if she is asking him to turn to look at her. The man, however, has a stern face that shows he is resolute in whatever decision he had to make.