VANITAS In the 17th century, Jan Davidsz de Heem painted a Still life that I like very much. The painting is now at the National museum in Stockholm and I look at it very often. The bouquet that it shows looks so real. It is really as if the artist had it before him as he painted. However, that I have been told was not the case. Instead the painting is a compilation of sketches. One can for example in it see flowers that do not bloom during the same season. Also, it is apparent that de Heem has used some of the flowers in several other paintings as well. The bouquet that he depicts, hence, has never really existed, rather it is a kind of collage. My technique is close to the de Heem’s, but in addition to painting I also use photos from old books. There are several reasons why I do this instead of just painting my motifs. People tend to think of photos as true depictions of reality. They do so even though they know that one has always been able to cheat with photos. I want to connect to this realistic feeling by combining photographs with painting in my work. The photographs give the pictures a touch of reality that a painter can never accomplish while the painting brings the old school, lo-tech fun into it. Furthermore, by combining photographed and painted motifs in unexpected ways I hope to create a type of magical realism. De Heem’s picture is also filled with a number of symbolic references. Although many of these today have been forgotten, the flowers and animals still have a lot to say about life, love, loss and death. It is my own experience of this painting – its composition and meanings – that has been my point of departure as I have filled this Vanitas-series with my own symbols and associations. http://www.nationalmuseum.se/Global/Stora_bilder/blomsterstilleben-de-heem_700x777.jpg See my other work at: http://aknoise.tumblr.com/ Anna-Karin BrusTumblr (3.0; @akbrus)http://akbrus.tumblr.com/<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdumwlG7L01qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><span class="Apple-style-span">“not what it seems”, 75x50 cm photo of cheramics and 3:D papercollage, 2012 by Anna-Karin Brus.</span></p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/36219192261http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/36219192261Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:50:00 +01003:d collageAnna-Karin BrusBrusDale CooperThe owls are not what they seemcheramic vaselaura palmerowlpaper collagephotograpytwin peakscontemporary artart<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3ppifZ9jr1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“2001”, 75x50 cm photo of cheramics and 3:D papercollage, 2012 by Anna-Karin Brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22656196546http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22656196546Tue, 08 May 2012 18:23:00 +020020012001 a space odyssey3:d collageAnna-Karin BrusBrusantlerapeartcontemporary artmolephotographyvanitasstill lifeflowersskulls<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3pp6dHJCD1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Space Odyssey”, 75x50 cm photo of cheramics and 3:D paper collage, 2012 by Anna-Karin Brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22655916605http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22655916605Tue, 08 May 2012 18:15:00 +02002001 a space odyssey3:d collageAnna-Karin BrusBrusDIYStanley Kubrickartcollagecontemporary artdiatomspace odysseystarfishstill life<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3nyopD9MD1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“ko-ko”, 75x50 cm photo of plastic pot and 3:D paper collage, 2012 by Anna-Karin Brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22594948115http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22594948115Mon, 07 May 2012 19:46:00 +02003:d collageAnna-Karin BrusBrusCUCKOOartcontemporary artflowersvanitasstill life<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3mjv5SIKg1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Jaba the Hutt”, 75x50 cm photo of cheramics and 3:D papercollage, 2012 by Anna-Karin Brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22551228456http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22551228456Mon, 07 May 2012 01:28:00 +02003:d collageAnna-Karin BrusAntikBrusartcheramic vasecontemporary artjaba the huttstar warsflowersstill life<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3m5r7yBH81qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Pick My Balls”, 75x50 cm photo of plastic pot and 3:D papercollage, 2012 by Anna-Karin Brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22530187466http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22530187466Sun, 06 May 2012 20:23:00 +02003:d collageAnna-Karin Brusartbruscontemporary artflowerspick my ballsstill lifevanitashammarplast<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3lislq95c1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“fly”, 75x50 cm photo of cheramics and 3:D papercollage, 2012 by Anna-Karin Brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22507986801http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22507986801Sun, 06 May 2012 12:50:00 +02003:d collageAnna-Karin BrusThe Seven Year ItchTom Ewellartbutterfly's probosciscontemporary artflyphotographyvanitasåtervunnenstill lifeflowers<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3lkpyIbbw1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Marilyn”, 75x50 cm photo of cheramics and 3:D papercollage, 2012 by Anna-Karin Brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22508952602http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22508952602Sun, 06 May 2012 12:49:00 +02003:d collageAnna-Karin BrusBrusartcontemporary artmarilynmarilyn monroephotographyvanitasstill lifeflowers<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3lih3Dri31qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“the lift”, 75x50 cm photo of cheramics and 3:D papercollage<span class="st">, 2012 by Anna-Karin Brus.</span></p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22507819066http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/22507819066Sun, 06 May 2012 12:00:00 +02003:d collageAnna-Karin BrusAntikBrusJennifer GreyPatrick Swayzeartcontemporary artdirty dancingphotographythe liftvanitasstill lifeflowers<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2l45rVhTN1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“pattern”, 40x20 cm, collage/oil paint on MDF-board, 2011 by ak brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/21218727894http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/21218727894Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:17:50 +0200patterncollagecollage/paintingartpythonChinese vasedragoncontemporary artAnna-Karin BrusBrus<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2gxciAQw31qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Flird”, 60x50 cm, collage/oil paint on MDF-board, 2011 by ak brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/21078421320http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/21078421320Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:00:17 +0200Anna-Karin BrusBruscollagecollage/paintingvanitasflirdHoopoe<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2fkl6g52J1qjl6a3o1_r1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Kingfisher, still from 1 minute video-animation loop, Anna-Karin Brus 2012.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/21033474747http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/21033474747Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:27:00 +0200KingfisherAnna-Karin BrusBrusvideo animationloopstillvanitas3:d collage<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2c21kBTrM1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Wet”, 100 x 100 cm, collage/oil paint on MDF-board, 2012 by ak brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/20920422926http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/20920422926Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:53:00 +0200Anna-Karin BrusBrusArtcollagecontemporary artcollage/paintingoctopusDEVILFISHantikantique vaseMinoan15th Century B.C.E.amphora<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1zxzosX5w1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Amor & Psyke”, 100 x 71 cm, collage/oil paint on MDF-board, 2012 by ak brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/20517643646http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/20517643646Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:54:00 +0200Amor &amp; PsykeAnna-Karin BrusBrusHjördis OldforsUpsala-Ekebyartbatcollagecollage/paintingcontemporary artdelfinmouseflowersstill life<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt4h2zCiOr1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“on top”, 36x22 cm, collage/oil paint on MDF, 54x34 cm, 2011 by ak brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/11489449452http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/11489449452Sat, 15 Oct 2011 21:35:21 +0200Anna-Karin Brusartcollage/paintingcollageon topvanitas<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt2vb8BTYd1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“gapa över mycket”, 100 x 71 cm, collage/oil paint on MDF-board, 2011 by ak brus.</p> <p>Follow the process in making this piece at:  <a href="http://inprogres.tumblr.com/">http://inprogres.tumblr.com/</a></p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/11452367146http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/11452367146Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:47:31 +0200Anna-Karin Brusvanitasartwork in progressgapa över mycketcollagecollage/painting<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt0oastojM1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Orpheus’s death”, 90x60 cm, collage/oil paint on MDF-board, 2011 by ak brus</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/11401013658http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/11401013658Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:20:00 +0200vanitasAnna-Karin BrusBrusartcollagecollage/paintingOrpheus's deathOrpheus<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqpmfu6RIO1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Strange Fruit II”, collage/oil paint on MDF, 54x34 cm, 2011 by ak brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/9559836593http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/9559836593Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:59:53 +0200Anna-Karin BrusBrusstrange fruitvanitasartcollage<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ln3t22RBZw1qjl6a3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“Belladonna”, collage/oil paint on MDF, 30x20 cm, 2009 by ak brus.</p>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/6730949727http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/6730949727Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:34:49 +0200Anna-Karin BrusBrusvanitasartbelladonna<a href="http://inprogres.tumblr.com/">work in progress</a>http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/6500709822http://akbrus.tumblr.com/post/6500709822Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:12:40 +0200Anna-Karin Brusartvanitaswork in progress