Vanitas

English

Vanitas

The “Vanitas” photos were created as part of an exhibition I made in collaboration with a “junk-art-sculptor” in the Cultural Centre “Odeon” in central Odense, Denmark. The inspiration for the work comes from the symbolism of life, death and folly as seen in 16th century Vanitas paintings.

Vanitas paintings are packed with symbols of life and death and human folly. What is your self-importance and vanity in the light of eternity? Your life is fragile like a soap bubble that will burst and disappear. "Menento mori" - remember you must die.

I have reworked the Vanitas message and given it a kitsch, surrealistic interpretation.

Narcissism and perfectionism are coaxing us into the conviction that we should strive to live up to an ideal physical perfection of beauty, performance, endurance and wealth.  With my photos I am reintroducing the Vanitas message to remind ourselves of the foolishness and transience of vanity.

Remember you must die - so live your imperfect life!

Dansk

Vanitas

Billederne blev lavet  i 2018 til en udstilling i det nye kulturcenter Odeon i centrum af Odense. De er delvist inspireret af de gamle 1600-tals vanitas malerier.

Vanitas var et populært motiv i 1600’tallets billedkunst. Billederne var spækket med symboler på livet og døden og dårskaben. ”Memento mori” – husk at du skal dø. Hvad er din selvoptagethed og forfængelighed i evighedens lys? Dit liv er en sæbeboble, der brister og forsvinder på et øjeblik.