Tim Jenison, a San Antonio based inventor, sets out to investigate one of the art worlds greatest mysteries: How 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer managed to paint lighting and composition that is photo-realistic. An epic undertaking, Jenison embarks on a journey to test his theory that Vermeer used optics to help paint his masterpieces. Teller's Tim's Vermeer is an astounding documentary about what truly defines an artist and why us, as human-beings, try to classify such things. Tim's Vermeer is a film that has faced some controversy from the art world from those who believe Jenison's theory takes away from the mastery of Vermeer but those folks are simply missing the point. Under Jenison's theory Vermeer was more than just a painter but an inventor who created a way to view photo-realistic imagery over 150 years before the invention of photography. My favorite aspect of the film is that it challenges the science vs. art notion of today, arguing that these two things are far from mutually exclusive. Tim's Vermeer asks: What defines an artist? With Tim Jenison himself being a shining example of an outside the box thinker/inventor that would never be defined as an artist, even though he most certainly is. Tim's Vermeer is a film about this porous border between art, science, and technology arguing that they are not so different, with dedication and ingenuity being an integral part in all three.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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