Selfie

Nymphaea is a genus of hardy and tender aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution. Many species are cultivated as ornamental plants, and many cultivars have been bred. Some taxa occur as introduced species where they are not native, and some are weeds. Plants of the genus are known commonly as waterlilies. The genus name is from the Greek νυμφαία, nymphaia and the Latin nymphaea, which means ‘water lily’ and were inspired by the nymphs of Greek of and Latin mythology.

The Ancient Egyptians used the water lilies of the Nile as cultural symbols, and the lotus motif is a frequent feature of temple column architecture. In Egypt, the lotus, rising from the bottom mud to unfold its petals to the sun, suggested the glory of the sun’s own emergence from the primeval slime. It was a metaphor of creation (relating to the fertility gods and goddesses), as well as a symbol of the upper Nile as the giver of life. The French Impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840 - 1926) famously spent the last thirty years of his life executing approximately 250 (!) oil paintings (depicting his celebrated flower garden at his home in Giverny, France) in the series Nymphéas (Waterlilies).

When the subtly evocative self-portrait Selfie was included in Denise Grünstein’s last exhibition Nymphaeas (CFHILL, Stockholm, 26 March - 23 April 2021), the catalogue drew the following parallell between waterlilies (Nymphaeas) and Grünstein’s most recent work:

Their brief existence, which casts them as sudden explosions of colour in murky waters, and the way their roots reach down to the muck, far below the surface, have combined to make waterlilies into enduring and powerful symbols of the human psyche: most of them remains hidden in the depths, a shapeless mess of stems and petioles, but they are driven by an urge to emerge in the light and draw the gazes of others. In her new exhibition Nymphaeas, Denise Grünstein ties in with this story, and adds her own chapter to it. Here, the blossomed flower, which may owe Claude Monet the greatest debt for its celebrated status, is passed over in order to make room for the heart-shaped leaves, which float on the surfaces of dark ponds and lakes, suspended between death and renewal in an eternal cycle in which a new shoot sprouts just as an existing one dies. Just as with Monet, the approach here is an antirealist one. The optics are recalibrated, subjective, and born from an unfamiliar palette–a result achieved by means of the infinity of hues that digital technology makes available.

Interestingly enough, Selfie was one of the very few black and white works in the 2021 exhibition. However, this meant that the photograph was eligible for inclusion in the retrospective memorial exhibition organised by CFHILL in Grünstein’s honour shortly after her death. In conjunction with the 2023 exhibition CFHILL’s catalogue stated:

CFHILL presents Memories in Black and White, a retrospective of Denise Grünstein’s monochrome works. In contrast to her almost painterly use of colour, the black-and-white compositions highlight the artist’s technical skill in depicting nuance, texture and light. In photographs, video and sculpture, Grünstein conveys the mystery and enchantment of our world. […] The works presented in Memories in Black and White are drawn from several of Grünstein’s most evocative series: 1866, featuring images from the National Museum; Casting, which explores the theatrical and staged; Nymphaeas, featuring abstract images of nature in the spirit of Claude Monet; and Zone V, from historical sites with special significance in human history.

Edition of 3 + 2 AP.

Provenance

CFHILL, Stockholm, Denise Grünstein ‘Nymphaeas’, 26 March - 23 April 2021.

CFHILL, Stockholm, Denise Grünstein ‘Minnen i svartvitt’, 29 September - 19 October 2023.

Firestorm Foundation (acquired at the above).

Copyright Firestorm Foundation