Pulcherrima III
Hoorn, 2024
 
Giclée print on Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl paper.
Size 30x20 cm without white border.
 
The Beauty of Transience

"It continues to amaze me how much beauty lies in the moment after the bloom. Like the leaf of a fading Euphorbia pulcherrima - “the all-beautiful,” better known as the poinsettia. The longer you look, the more you discover: structures, tiny hairs, veins…

Respect for nature and our planet is essential to me. The poinsettia, a symbol of festivity and beauty, turns out to be anything but sustainable. This realization made me reflect: How natural is something we take for granted? What do we truly understand by beauty?"

Rianne Noordegraaf (born 1973) creates intimate portraits of natural finds. Her images are timeless, earthy and sensual, designed to be viewed slowly and to continue to intrigue.

With her series Wonderlijk, part of The Beauty of Transience, she was recognized as a finalist in both the FEP Awards and the DuPho SO Awards in 2024. This year, she also received awards at the B&W IPA (International Photo Awards) - Gold medal and FotoSlovo - Silver medal, in the still life category.

The SO Awards jury described the series:
“This series confronts. The jury felt uneasy about both the form and the movement in the images, and that is a good thing. It looks as if drawn with graphite pencil, adding an artistic dimension. You zoom in and see everything; it’s all in the details. The series invites you to let your imagination run wild.”

With this image, Rianne contributes to Oxfam Novib’s mission, encouraging awareness of how we engage with nature, sustainability, and what we perceive as beauty.
 
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