ALWAYS IN FLOWER AND IN FRUIT
2021
Strange Paradise
Portland, OR
2021
Strange Paradise
Portland, OR
In Always in Flower and in Fruit, Van Patten captures images of items within her home, such as cut flowers and fruit, and juxtaposes these with kitsch objects sourced from eBay, such as artificial flowers and plastic fruit. Kelda interprets kitsch through its 19th-century Victorian origins, viewing it as myth or melancholic curiosities that simultaneously evoke desire and comfort while concealing denial and loss.
Her photographs pay homage to 17th-century Dutch still-life paintings by prompting symbolic interpretations of Vanitas and Memento Mori, both delving into the fragility of life. The juxtaposition of domestic and kitsch elements invites viewers to reflect on the shifting layers of still life within a post-truth era.
Her photographs pay homage to 17th-century Dutch still-life paintings by prompting symbolic interpretations of Vanitas and Memento Mori, both delving into the fragility of life. The juxtaposition of domestic and kitsch elements invites viewers to reflect on the shifting layers of still life within a post-truth era.
Photo documentation by Jennifer Timmer Trail