Margriet Smulders’ Narcotic Floral Tableaux
“Praised be man” (2010, Parfum Exotique)
Spring, in many places, is slow in coming this year to the Northern Hemisphere. Until such a time as the land is restored to a state of verdancy and the flora and herbaceous things start to flourish again, why not immerse ourselves in the works of Margriet Smulders? Her hauntingly elaborate floral tableaux are narcotic, intoxicating things– both ethereal and sensual, dark and glowing.
Of her “Endless garlands of flowers” images she says:
You can see a whole world in my flowers. Lush and strangely erotic tableaux entice you into another dimension. Huge mirrors, elaborate glass vases, rich draperies, fruit and cut blooms are used to make these ‘paintings’. As Baudelaire says “Get drunk: on wine, poetry or virtue”. Imagine lingering and languishing in these fresh, sultry and lucid landscapes. I love this sensual state. To lose myself, to deliver myself as in a love affair. Reality doesn’t matter. When making photos I get lost in the scenes as if the flowers were caressing me in the gulfs of the sea.
There are worse states in which to languish while we wait for spring than to lose ourselves in such delights, n’est-ce pas?
“Meringue” (2010, Parfum Exotique)
“Siren’s Blood” (2010, Siren’s Blood)
“Heaven it’s a Place” (2010, Siren’s Blood)
“Since We Have Met Anew” (2008, Bloody Hell)
“Song of Songs III” (2006, Get Drunk)
April 8th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
beautiful images, thank you for making me aware of this artist.
April 10th, 2011 at 2:26 am
As a highly sensitive sensation seeker having a blast enjoying the daybreak glow of spring in the morning I have to say I absolutely adore these paintings. Nothing would make me happier than if the Art community would once and for all give up some of its post modern pretensions and allowed themselves to celebrate beauty once again…”Art is not merely an imitation of the reality of nature, but in truth a metaphysical supplement to the reality of nature, placed alongside thereof for its conquest.”…Nietzsche “Why believe in beauty you ask? Here’s an answer I just found that I can appreciate…Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”– Anne Frank The ability to see beauty is the beginning of our moral sensibility. “What we believe is beautiful we will not want only to destroy.”– Reverend Sean Parker Dennison
April 10th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
Narcotic is the perfect word for it – I love how these use color, light, and texture to create mood. All the frantic, glassy… stuff in that second one is fascinating, how it looks delicate and overwhelming at the same time.
December 11th, 2011 at 4:33 am
Thank all if you for these lovely words. These are photographs made on a mirror.