Traces

"Traces"

from Friday, March 25, 2022 to Saturday, May 28, 2022

Gallery XII Paris

For this first solo exhibition of the Dutch artist in Paris, we have gathered works covering fifteen years of work around six different countries. The austere environments discovered in the most remote corners of the planet become actors in the highly choreographed performances that Scarlett Hooft Graafland stages. Whether it is the salt desert in Bolivia, the Canadian Arctic, Madagascar, Yemen, Vanuatu or its home country, the Netherlands, Scarlett merges with the surrounding area and the local culture.

The juxtaposition of everyday objects in the landscape evokes both the surrealist works of René Magritte and the ephemeral works of Robert Smithson. Though humorous and spontaneous, Scarlett Hooft Graafland’s work is intentional and the result of a long preparation to adapt to the terrain and regional cultures. The artist photographer works with local people and his works are the result of a collaboration that sometimes takes several months – from the presentation of the project to its realization.
While being very visual, graphic and colourful, Scarlett Hooft Graafland’s images address important themes such as the disappearance of traditional cultures and the fragility of nature.