FEATURED / KARINE LAVAL
Karine Laval: Pool Reflections
French-born, Brooklyn-based artist Karine Laval's acclaimed photos of swimming pools has been called "beautiful in a painterly way" and "vibrant, witty and spontaneous." Her dreamy and imaginative work begins with a love of water, and a fascination with what she calls its transformative power.
We're pleased to present a special exhibition of photographs from two series in select stores: The Pool, featuring bathers in public pools throughout Europe and images of private American pools from Poolscapes. A snapshot of her influences and inspiration:
Family vacations
I was lucky as a kid to vacation by the sea or go sailing in the Mediterranean. I learned to swim very early and have always been attracted to water. I find it very appeasing and self reflective.
The pool as muse
Beyond the water there is an important element with the architecture. Most people like to hang out by a pool for the leisure. There is also the darker side to swimming pools. Water is the element of birth, life and also death.
On creating images
I photograph more like a painter or a choreographer. I don't stage images but I take the picture as if it were a scene from a theater.
Public and private pools
The public pool is very similar to a theater or dance stage. It's very contained and there are unconscious actors: the bathers at play repeat the same gestures over and over again. In America, I chose private pools. There are so many here and they are symbolic of American culture – more individuality.
Pool or beach?
Beach, for spending the day. I love to swim in rough waters, to play, to surf. But I find the swimming pool interesting from an artistic view.
