Maria Svarbova was born in 1988 and currently resides in
Slovakia. Inspiration for her fresh, dream-like scenes comes from her interest
in Socialist era architecture and public spaces. Svarbova often captures
simple, routine behaviors, but she does so with a cool sense of detachment and
elegance that demands a response. Her aloof characters embody a sense of mystery,
isolation and the human experience. This highly decorated contemporary
photographer’s work has secured myriad publications worldwide including features
in Vogue, Forbes, and The Guardian.
Of her In the
Swimming Pool series Svarbova says, "People fascinate me… Space
has no meaning without humans. The same also goes the other way around. Humans
have no meaning without space… The
main focus of my series was to harmonize the humans and space." The
series, which began in 2014 is currently still being developed. Despite the
retro feel of the images, they also evoke a futuristic quality that feels
sterile and almost alien. Each person exists expressionless within the frame,
but at the same time activates the space in a way that offers life to an
otherwise lifeless, cold place. I was particularly drawn to Svarbova’s work
because of my preexisting interest in other Soviet-influenced artists such as
Ilya Kabakov, but this series spoke to me through its color palette and the
minimal yet poignant moments she is able to capture.
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