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Margriet Smulders Still-life Photography

Dutch, b. 1955
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.
(Biography provided by Contour Gallery)
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Artist: Margriet Smulders
You Are Marvellous
By Margriet Smulders
Located in ROTTERDAM, ZH
Another highlight is Margriet Smulders, a renowned photographer since the early 1990s, with her enchanting still lifes made by flowers. Her works have been part of over 40 collection...
Category

2010s Other Art Style Margriet Smulders Still-life Photography

Materials

Digital Pigment, Plexiglass

In the Palm of your Mind
By Margriet Smulders
Located in ROTTERDAM, ZH
In her lush photographic scenes flowers take centre stage. Smulders construct her floral still lives on a big mirror, using hand blown glass objects designed by herself, carefully a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Other Art Style Margriet Smulders Still-life Photography

Materials

Plexiglass, Archival Pigment

Aturalia
By Margriet Smulders
Located in ROTTERDAM, ZH
The work 'Aturalia' is part of Margriet her most recent series of works from Fruits de Rococo, where she found her inspiration in the style period of Rococo. Aturalia is together with Nartificilia a diptych, but can also be enjoyed perfectly seperate from one another. In the series Fruits de Rococo, artist Margriet Smulders takes us into the maelstrom of her thoughts about our existence. In thirty still lifes, she depicts life as a flowing river. Smulders takes us from the source to the sea, from the dark origin to the sublime end. Fascinated as she is by the cycle of life, she guides us through birth, bloom and decay, with heaven as the apotheosis. about Margriet Smulders In the works by Margriet Smulders (1955, the Netherlands), the theme ‘lust and temptation’ play a major role. Standing in front of them, her impressive photograph’s cause the feeling of being sucked into the image. Large compositions are seducing the viewer and lead the eye from one to the other detail. In her work, Smulders mostly uses exotic flowers and fruit. To arrange the objects she uses colored draperies, water and mirrors. The result looks like a detail from a mysterious fairy tale world. Even though people are absent in these surrealistic landscapes, these works seem to tell a story or hold a meaning. It feels like Margriet Smulders paints with her photo camera.
Category

2010s Baroque Margriet Smulders Still-life Photography

Materials

Plexiglass, Archival Pigment

Hé Huān Huā
By Margriet Smulders
Located in ROTTERDAM, ZH
In Chinese, the Persian Silk tree or Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) is called: Hé Huân Huà. The ‘Materia Medica’ describes the bark (Hé Huân Pi) to not only ...
Category

2010s Baroque Margriet Smulders Still-life Photography

Materials

Plexiglass, Archival Pigment

Venti
By Margriet Smulders
Located in ROTTERDAM, ZH
Venti takes us to higher places, as a ceiling where you can enjoy and navigate through .. In the most recent series: Rococo 2022, artist Margriet Smulders takes us into the maelstro...
Category

2010s Rococo Margriet Smulders Still-life Photography

Materials

Plexiglass, Archival Pigment

Fruits de Rococco
By Margriet Smulders
Located in ROTTERDAM, ZH
The water touches the sky and we find freedom and infinity. Here we play and dance and drink. Here we drink lightness and levity, with the Fruits de Rococo. Inspired by the French wr...
Category

2010s Baroque Margriet Smulders Still-life Photography

Materials

Plexiglass, Archival Pigment

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Margriet Smulders still-life photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Margriet Smulders still-life photography available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Margriet Smulders in archival pigment print, pigment print, plastic and more. Not every interior allows for large Margriet Smulders still-life photography, so small editions measuring 48 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of and Kind of Cyan. Margriet Smulders still-life photography prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $11,095 and tops out at $14,424, while the average work can sell for $12,871.

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