Lens Based Art
Dry leaves, branches, roots and dried flowers appeal to me. They symbolize for me the resilience of nature and the cycle of our existence.
We are concerned about the environment and the extinction of animal and plant species. But we should especially fear for ourselves. Nature will recover, for humans this is not yet certain, that is my vision that I base on the history of the earth.
When walking my dog or gardening, I can marvel at a trampled leaf or the whimsical pattern of roots. For me, these are shapes and lines that symbolize transience and resilience.
In my studio I make collages of them which I then photograph. I see them as modern compositions on an age-old theme in painting; Vanitas. Traces of people can be found in the work; mainly plastic, such as a candy wrapper or the packaging of sliced cheese. They blend seamlessly into nature and ultimately draw the short straw.
For the technique I go back to the principles of photography. I use cyanotype, a photographic process in which a cyan-blue print is created after development. A technique that Anna Atkins (1799-1871) used in photography. She published a book with cyanotype images of ferns and plants. She is also seen as the first female photographer.
My images are built up from layers in which I combine multiple techniques, such as casein printing and painting. Each layer has its own signature, photography and painting become one. The typical elongated shape is borrowed from Eastern art in which plants and flowers often play a central role.