Today we’d like to introduce you to Iris Van Gelder.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started making collages in 2011. I had a love and fascination for fashion, photography and magazines. For me, magazines were more than just something to look at. Every month they opened up a new dream world. They were a source of inspiration. After trying out photography and fashion styling, I found out that making collages was my passion. Something clicked when I made my first one in 2011. I could combine everything I loved.
Along the way, I have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Swarovski and international magazines including Glamour Italia and Avenue Magazine in New York. My work has also received recognition from Vogue Italia and has been exhibited internationally, including in Milan and Taiwan.
Today, I continue to develop my practice by exploring larger-scale works, exhibitions and collaborations within the worlds of art, fashion and jewelry.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have definitely been challenges along the way. I’ve learned that my visual language is not for everyone (and that is okay!). You have to do what feels right for you and keep creating even when the next step isn’t always clear.
One thing is really important to me: making collages makes me happy. I get a lot of joy out of creating them.
Looking back, the challenges have helped me become more confident in my work and more determined to keep developing it. Every new exhibition, collaboration or opportunity has helped me understand my work a little better and taught me something. It’s important to keep learning while doing, so you can adjust along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I create handmade collages using hand-cut fragments from magazines and books. Images of jewelry, fashion, architecture and nature merge into a layered dream world. Shapes and silhouettes play a crucial role, forming the building blocks of my distinctive visual language, like puzzle pieces assembled into striking compositions.
I’m most proud of having developed a visual language that is my own. I’m also excited by how the work has grown from small pieces on a table to large-scale works that can take over an entire space.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something people might not expect is that I don’t always have a clear idea of what a collage will become when I start. I collect images simply because something about them catches my attention: a pose, a piece of jewelry, a flower, the universe or a building.
Then I start cutting. Sometimes it starts with an outfit, sometimes with the background. I don’t have a particular order in which I work.
I think a big part of my process is not thinking too much about the end result. When I publish my collages on my blog or Instagram, or see them printed in a large size, I can still be surprised by what I’ve made.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fasttrash.tumblr.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irisvangelder/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irisvangelder/
