She glances over her shoulder, in a pose made famous by Johannes Vermeer in his painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. But she’s of a different caliber. Her hair is red, she’s wearing a black leather jacket with a raven on it, and she looks a bit disdainful. It reminds me of Punk, a youth movement from the mid-70s that rebelled against the establishment and centered on the autonomy of the individual. The music was loud, the style rough—leather and straight from the streets. Punk faded out, although two years ago I photographed the last Punker in Groningen. He still organizes a Punk party now and then, so there must be others.
This girl is one of them, though she’s probably never going to Groningen. She’s rooted, anchored in a spot in Amsterdam.