Reality is an important topic in my still life photography. These series of still life consist of multiple photo's. The essence is not to hide the fact that it is a constructed narrative but to allow the viewer to create their own story.
In the bird still lives it is important that you can see their character and motives, as birds have very different personalities. Also the chosen food, flowers and objects alway have a seasonal of personal motive. Materiality, form and color are also important, they have to match and compliment each other.
This materiality and my love for construction is also visible in the series organic vases. Here the historic motive of a still life with vases (ie Morandi) is visually leading but the objects itself are a constructed fiction of an ideal reality where object and purpose playfully come together.
Summer dreams 2023 - Photo on dibond, various sizes tot 100 x 150 cm oplage van 30
The abundance of late summer, 2022. - Photo on dibond, various sizes tot 100 x 150 cm oplage van 30
Still life with oysters and artichoke, 2023 - Photo on dibond, size tot 90 x 135 cm edition of 30
Mackerel and springflowers 2022 - This still life is part of an ongoing series in the Dutch visual language of the Golden Age. I am fascinated by the classical still life, which appears as a window onto another world full of lush food and flowers. Beside the well-balanced composition there is a slice of life narrative where people just left the room and the birds take their chance and inspect the seasonal banquet, giving the image a just-walked-in quality.
Organic Vases nr 3, 4 and 5 - Exhibition view
Sizes 84 x 73 cm in painted box frame.
Edition of 30.
www.constructednature.nl
Organic Vases nr 5 2022 - Organic Vases nr 5 the fifth artwork of our ongoing series made in the theme Constructed Nature. In this series photographer Hester Blankestijn and product designer Marielle Wichards combine their visions and expertise to create ensembles of fictional vases.
After doing material research, the form of the vase was dictated by the flexibility of the stems. By connecting and constructing with one kind of flower, in real life and digitally, we made a unique vase/flower. These constructed objects show the human-nature to push nature into something to accommodate human life.
The composition and visual language of Organic Vases nr 5 connects to art history by using the looks of still life masters like Georgio Morandi. And it also relates to the fantasy of the new AI art; but instead of unbounded fantasies our images still connect with real natural physics. We like to celebrate our human fantasy in a world about to be flooded with AI-generated images.
Frolic - Foto uit de serie Together (2014-2015). In samenwerking met Marjolein Tops. Dansers: Anja Reinhardt & Wannes de Porre
Support - Foto uit de serie Together (2014-2015). In samenwerking met Marjolein Tops. Dansers: Tom Jaspers & Inge van Huijkelom
Caress - Foto uit de serie Together (2014-2015). In samenwerking met Marjolein Tops. Dansers: Ivan Rodriguez & Judy Lijdsman
