Archie Hayes 
Born in 1988 in Slovakia, Maria Svarbova‘s journey to artistic acclaim is as unique as her work. Despite her academic background in restoration and archaeology, Maria found her true calling in the realm of photography. Since 2010, her innate photographic talent has been recognized globally, setting new standards in the art form.
Maria‘s accolades are notable. She has been honored with the prestigious Hasselblad Masters Award, a testament to her skill and vision. Her work has not only been showcased in various exhibitions, placing her at the forefront among her peers, but has also caught the attention of major publications like Vogue, Forbes, CNN, and The Guardian worldwide. Her presence on social media is substantial, where her work frequently captures the spotlight.
Her remarkable talent has led to numerous achievements, including being listed in Forbes’ “30 under 30,” a recognition of the world’s most influential young personalities. Additionally, Maria’s work has been commissioned for a large-scale advertisement on the Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan, a significant milestone in any artist’s career. In 2019, Apple selected her to create a unique photography series shot exclusively with an iPhone, further cementing her status in the field.
Maria has also published two photography books, “Swimming Pool” (2017) and “Future Retro” (2019). “Swimming Pools” is an updated version of the earlier “Swimming Pool,” featuring a new format, design, and content.
Her artistic style is distinctive, moving away from traditional portraiture to focus on the interplay of space, color, and atmosphere. Maria’s interest in communist-era architecture and public spaces is evident in her work, where she brings a modern vibrancy to each scene. Her compositions, featuring carefully arranged figures and ordinary objects, create thematic, dream-like scenarios that hold a silent tension, suggesting unspoken narratives beneath their smooth, clean surfaces.
Maria’s work often conveys a sense of detachment and transition. She reimagines routine activities like exercise, doctor’s appointments, and household chores, presenting them with a visual purity that is both soothing and symmetrical. This often results in images that are contemplative and still, evoking a sense of quiet in the midst of the fast-paced modern world. Her postmodern approach not only challenges the viewer to engage with the themes of mystery, loneliness, and isolation but also celebrates the beauty in life’s simple moments.
In 2021, the Kolektiv Cité Radieuse gallery, specializing in visual arts and design from Central and Eastern Europe, invited Maria to create a series of 20 pictures. This project, set in the Le Corbusier Housing Unit in Marseille, explored the relationship between humans and Le Corbusier’s architectural vision. During the summer of 2021, her unique works, created for Le Corbusier’s “vertical village,” were displayed in Marseille’s Radiant City project. In these works, Maria continued to explore themes of modernist aesthetics and social distancing, offering both a reflective view on isolation and a tribute to architectural genius.
Overall, Maria Svarbova’s body of work represents a significant contribution to contemporary photography. Her exploration of human experience through the lens of modernist aesthetics, her innovative use of space and color, and her ability to capture the subtle nuances of human interaction make her a standout artist in her field. Her achievements and recognitions, such as the Hasselblad Master and Forbes 30 under 30, are well-deserved, marking her as an influential figure in the world of art and photography.
