Suzanne Jongmans Transforms Discarded Materials into Renaissance-Style Portraits

Dutch artist Suzanne Jongmans creates elegant, dreamlike portraits reminiscent of Renaissance painting by using everyday materials that are typically discarded, such as padded packaging, mesh fruit sleeves, and copper coils from household appliances. Her works evoke the style of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Lady with an Ermine' (1489-91) and Antonello da Messina's 'Portrait of a Young Man' (c. 1470), featuring models draped in velvet against deep backgrounds. Jongmans addresses contemporary issues like breastfeeding in public and explores themes of femininity, individuality, concealment, and the human capacity for wonder. She critiques the Enlightenment's glorification of reason and the loss of myth and imagination in modern life. Her self-portrait 'In the Midst of It All,' created during the pandemic, encourages slowing down and reconnecting with oneself and nature. Recent works incorporate copper coils from electric motors and fuses. Her photographs are printed on Hahnemühle paper in limited editions, with sizes varying from 44 x 60 centimeters to 95 x 75 centimeters. Notable pieces include 'In Resonance,' 'Guidance' (2024), 'Kindred Spirits – Present,' 'Lifting the Veils,' 'Brotherhood,' and 'Valentino blue.' Jongmans' work is featured on her website and Instagram, and the article was published on Colossal, an independent arts publication that supports itself through memberships starting at $7 per month.