Isabelle van Zeijl

THE REBIRTH OF THE DUTCH FLOWER, A NEW SERIES THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE PLIGHT OF THE FLOWER INDUSTRY

During the COVID-19 crisis, Dutch Fine Art Photographer Isabelle van Zeijl visited local flower growers to explore how she could shine a light on an industry that is suffering an 80% loss of income. The growers were keen on a collaboration with Van Zeijl with one grower suggesting that "life is cyclical, like nature. After every difficulty there is always ease. We choose to share, collaborate in order to grow together."

Isabelle van Zeijl's previous work has explored the prejudices against women from general misogyny, including sex discrimination, to sexual objectification and violence against women. She takes past ideals of female beauty and subverts them for use in a contemporary context. These ideas are also represented in her new series inspired by her visits to local growers, The Rebirth of the Dutch Flower. This series of photographs using discarded flowers from her local growers, highlights the unfortunate mass destruction during the current world lockdown. But the enigmatic photographs are also a celebration of hope as they give the flowers new life by suggesting renewal, rebirth and reinvention. As Van Zeijl explains, "flowers grow out of dark moments, the more difficulties, the more beautiful they become, they always tend to grow towards the light."