Sara VanDerBeek

Sara VanDerBeek looks at contemporary surroundings through the prism of timeless sensations and recurring historical forms. Her work often consists of flat depictions of carefully constructed three-dimensional assemblages of images and objects. These sculptural sets, which incorporate a sophisticated range of elements including images of figures, art-historical references and nods to classical aesthetics, are built in her studio and survive only in her photographs. The illusion of depth and movement through the play of light and shadow is a recurring motif. Recently VanDerBeek has introduced sculptural motifs such as columns and stacks into her installations alongside the photographs. Subtle yet intense gradations of blue, purple and pink coloured hues have also emerged in her image making, asserting a more abstract visual language that strips representation back to an elemental sensory level.