Feature Photographer – Maria Svarbova
Maria Svarbova studied restoration and archaeology but found her voice as an artist when, six years ago, she took up photography. Her most recent series focuses on swimmers and swimming pools, capturing a cool detachment with an emphasis on space, composition, and color. Her models are expressionless mannequins, often wearing brightly colored suits and caps or situated against bright palettes. Svarbova’s photography explores how people occupy space: “People fascinate me. Space, to me, has no meaning without humans. It becomes empty, and something is missing. The same goes the other way around. Humans have no meaning without the space, as if they didn’t fit anywhere. The main focus of my series was to harmonize the humans and space.” As a contemporary artist her work has been featured in Vogue, The Guardian, and in numerous galleries, and she was most recently listed as a Forbes best 30 under 30. Her precociousness and distinct voice and style set her apart in the world of contemporary photography and reflect how attention to pattern, details, and shapes can create interesting narratives. Each picture is a haunting extension of the last, and all of them are memorable, powerful, and beautiful.
For more on Maria’s work, check out her website, here.
Similarly, World Photo Org also did a recent write up on her work and features many of her images in the interview they posted here.
Lastly, gratefully, Maria’s Instagram is active and stunning.
If your’e interested, Maria’s work is certainly an examination on pattern and symmetry. Check out our post on using shapes to enhance your photography and check out our pattern and symmetry gallery for inspiration.