Viviane Sassen (b. 1972) traverses the worlds of fashion and fine art. Over the past 30 years, we’ve seen the photographer’s work everywhere, from the walls of the Rijksmuseum and Maison Européenne de la Photographie to the pages of Dazed and i-D and the campaigns of Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton. Her practice has broken down boundaries, and is as at home on gallery walls as in magazines. Today, many creatives are embracing a similar approach, such as Djeneba Aduayom, Iris van Herpen and Tyler Mitchell.
A quintessential Sassen shot is characterised by saturated hues, intense chiaroscuro and unique depictions of the human body. All three elements come together in her numerous brand campaigns, including 2017’s collaboration with Adidas x Pharrell. Here, the subject dances with her own shadow amidst vibrant surroundings. Other recognisable works include the Eudocimus Ruber collage, which offers the viewer a glimpse of a figure who is mostly hidden beneath layers of scarlet feathers and pale green fabric.
These images form part of a landmark survey of Sassen’s impressive oeuvre at Foam, Amsterdam. PHOSPHOR: Art & Fashion is the artist’s first large-scale retrospective in her home country, The Netherlands. The exhibition presents over 200 prints, paintings and videos, highlighting the breadth of a trailblazer who is constantly experimenting with new concepts and techniques. It’s a celebration of a truly visionary creative, who uses the camera “like a portal into infinite parallel universes and unknown worlds.”
Foam, Phosphor: Art & Fashion | From 21 September
foam.org
Words: Diana Bestwish Tetteh
Image Credits:
- Adidas x Pharell, 2017 © Viviane Sassen and Stevenson (Johannesburg / Cape Town / Amsterdam).
- Eudocimus Ruber, from the series Of Mud and Lotus, 2017 © Viviane Sassen and Stevenson (Johannesburg / Cape Town / Amsterdam).
