Modern Elegance

Julia Hetta

Swedish photographer Julia Hetta’s imagery provides a glimpse into an alternative world, rich with the romance and quietude associated with classical painting. The influence of the Dutch masters on her enigmatic chiaroscuro compositions extend beyond a commitment to a rigorous, inventive form of photographic portraiture. Immaculately executed still lifes allude to the Flemish tradition in their illusionistic intricacy. Attention to traditional lighting techniques and long exposures extends the painterly metaphor: Hetta’s subjects appear utterly contemporary, while giving the impression of having emerged from a Pre-Raphaelite canvas, melding modernity and classicism in her campaigns for Lanvin, Jil Sander, Hermès and Chloé. Her editorial clients include AnOther, Double, Acne Paper and T Magazine, and her work featured in the FOAM exhibition, Don’t Stop Now: Fashion Photography Next. www.juliahetta.com.