Margriet Smulders

Aturalia

2022

The layered photos of Margriet Smulders They are explosions of colour that pop off the wall: the photos of Margriet Smulders (1955). By combining different types of flowers and plants with reflections from mirrors, flowing water and a colourful - often blue - background, Smulders creates a dynamic whole. With her choice of subject and working method, in which the artist herself stages the performance and then also leaves the space to chance, Smulders manages to create a powerful image in her photos. However, there is much more hidden behind the works of Smulders than just the aesthetics. The central subject in Smulders' photos are flowers. Margriet, who is named after a flower herself, has been fascinated by flowers and plants since childhood. These are always present in her art; sometimes incorporated as an element in a performance or space, sometimes - as in the works exhibited here - in all their glory. For the artist, flowers symbolize the course of life and the beauty of existence. The flowers in Smulders' work have another meaning. From the Family / Maternité series from the period 1987-1995 to the photo series Uit de cocoon (1999) made in India for ICCO and WORK (1998) commissioned by Randstad, reflection on the position of women is central. This perspective is also present in her recent work. Initially, Smulders depicted abstracted feminine forms in her photographic flower still lifes with the flowers themselves. Over the years, this reference has become less direct and femininity lies mainly in the beauty, sensuality and fragility of the flower. In addition to the power of women, Smulders also reflects on life in a broader sense in her compositions. For example, the water in which her flowers float freely refers to tears and sadness. The floral splendour also has a raw side. As Smulders herself points out, something beautiful can come out of tragedy. In this way, not only the flowers, but also the water, the other visual elements and her working method contribute to Smulders’ message. Because the flowers are not presented neatly, but float freely in the water and reach our eyes partly through reflections in the mirror, the artist loses some of her control over the image that arises. Everything comes together organically. In this way, Smulders tells the viewer that we can learn to live with how things go and that we can enjoy it. Just like Smulders, let yourself be amazed by looking at what happens when you let yourself go with the flow, just as the flowers do. The work of Margriet Smulders is sometimes pigeonholed as ‘purely aesthetic’ art. However, that does not do justice to the layering she adds to her photos through her choice of subject and working method. These are permeated by themes such as feminism, transience and the course of life. If you are open to this and take the time to look closely at the photos, you will discover what is hidden behind Smulders' colourful, lavish creations.