As in a Japanese screen by Hasegawa Tohaku, or as in the poems about idleness by the poet Kenko, the photographs of Maren Klemp (1984) – a Norwegian photographer living in Oslo – are enveloped in a light mist that crystallises her subjects in a temporal dimension alien to reality, rendering them ethereal. The female faces in the series entitled Botanica attempt to emerge from a thick fog, which gives the composition an aura of mystery and delicacy. Compared to the face that remains trapped by the fog, the flowers recurring in all the photographs in the series emerge with greater prominence, managing to emerge completely from the mist. The floral element prevails over the face in intensity and sharpness, almost becoming the main subject. The choice of placing female faces in dialogue with floral elements stems from the photographer Maren Klemp’s passion for botany, who considers the flower to be the bearer of strong symbolism and capable of telling stories.

The flowers chosen by Maren are all in the pink and red palette, with the intention of communicating femininity and sensuality. Peonies, roses, cherry blossoms, poppies and geraniums adorn the faces of the women portrayed, superimposing themselves on them and becoming one with their features. The flowers give the subjects a soul and subjectivity of which they have been deprived, portrayed closed or completely overlaid by the petals of the flowers. The contrast between the immobility of the face and the dynamism of the flowers creates a game of depth that leads the spectator to immerse himself in the fog, trying to solve the mystery that Maren Klemp proposes, investigating the history and feelings of the woman protagonist.

Maren Klemp’s photographs will be exhibited at the group exhibition ImageNation in New York, 10-12 March 2023, curated by Martin Vegas.