Photography is not a typically seasonal occupation unless you dedicate yourself to tulips. This is what João Prates has been doing for years. Between February and May, he is busy visiting growers, flower markets, and florists in the Western part of the Netherlands as he collects his subjects on an almost daily basis. He then photographs the compositions he creates in his studio in The Hague at night.
João made the first images for this collection when a friend commissioned the photographer in 2016 to create images of tulips for the living room she had just redecorated. João – mostly active as a portrait photographer at the time – accepted the assignment and borrowed one of her Delft Blue vases. He completed the assignment within a week, just before the tulip season ended. And discovered he had a knack for still-life photography, the quintessentially Dutch blub flower, and the artistic process that goes with it. His client was equally excited and ordered two large pieces. Amongst others, the images show the Blue Diamond, Miranda, and Angelique varieties. The artist himself explains the creative process: “Finding the right types of tulips is where it begins of course. In the studio, I then emulate the lighting conditions so typical of the Dutch masters. At the same time, I apply a uniquely Brazilian perspective on what Art is. A simple – some call it naïve – a vision where beauty is colorful and vibrant. By bringing these two perspectives together I am building a lasting connection between what I would now consider my two home countries. These works have a lot of me in them.”
Since that first assignment, João has been expanding the collection. For inspiration, he studied still-life art by the Dutch masters in which exotic and costly varieties of flowers – especially tulips – are shown. Whilst 2016 was a very short season of immersion and discovery, João further developed his focus and style in the years that followed. He recalls 2017 as the year he was searching for purity and perfection. With very minimalist and highly stylistic images as a consequence. In 2018 he started adding various private possessions which added more depth. It leads to work that becomes increasingly personal. The following year João stages his compositions with richer details and more layers. The images he makes become powerful and can overwhelm the viewer.
