In Silent Flame, you see a woman with pale, almost fairy-like skin in soft pinks and blues. Her dark brown hair falls loosely, a little messily, and almost seems to merge with the warm, red background. She wears a classic red dress with puffed sleeves, exuding calm and strength at the same time. On her shoulder sits a long-haired red cat, looking straight at you, alert, curious and a little mischievous.
The woman herself looks away from the viewer's eye, as if she is in another world, lost in thought or part of a dream. The work grew out of my fascination with the silent bond between humans and animals, and how they can be each other's mirror. As often in my portraits, I mix realism with symbolism: the cat as the silent flame, the woman as the bearer of inner fire. Together, they form an image of familiarity, mystery and independent softness.
In her vivid, modern portraits, Tanja Kooymans explores the quiet magic that lingers beneath the surface of the everyday.
Her figures, often women adorned with surreal elements , move through a dreamlike space where nature, fantasy, and identity meet.
With intuitive use of color and..
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