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The seemingly random photographs were originally test shots for a film Hooper intended on making. Yet after seeing the first images, he decided on producing a set of filmic photos that focus on the banal, everyday quality of bread. He had recently watched Ivan Passer’s wistful, slightly comic movie, ‘Intimate Lighting’, and was inspired to recreate the clear and simple actions of the every day through film. The result is a comical, completely bizarre collection that both intrigues and confuses the viewer. This quality is typical of much of Hooper’s work, which is characterized by absurdist humor, tactilism, and impressions of the unconscious.
Floral printed carpets set against beige patterned wallpaper and yellowing curtains form the backdrop to the images. The worn out interiors and dilapidated exterior suggest a house that has come to the end of its lifetime, and all that remains is a loaf of basic bread. Hooper is able to turn the seemingly illogical and arbitrary photos into a series which is both poetic and telling. There is a subtle beauty in the simplicity of subject and in Hooper’s gentle, ironic photographic style. Overall, the influence of Ivan Passer’s ‘Intimate Lighting’ can clearly be felt.
