Sanja Marušić’s Stunning Portraits Of Pregnancy & Motherhood
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by Photographed by Sanja Marušić
Sometimes a dose of optimism hits your inbox at just the right time. Which was precisely what happened when MOTHER reader and Dutch-Croatian artist Sanja Marušić reached out to show us her latest body of work: “With You,” a series of portraits featuring herself and her newborn son, Sasha.
Leading up to this series of stunning, colorful, and surrealist-spiked portraits of her new family of three, Sanja had also explored her pregnancy through art in two previous pieces of work: “Before You” (Part 1) and “Before You” (Part 2), both of which we highly recommend you check out. Then, once her son arrived on June 18, 2020, the artist saw her creativity explode in a new direction (a not-so-uncommon phenomenon), and the result is these dozen portraits in our slideshow below that are sure to brighten your week.
To keep exploring the topic of parenthood and art—including the neurological link between motherhood and creativity—be sure to check out how designer Stiliyana Minkovska was inspired to re-imagine a labor and delivery room after giving birth to her daughter, and peep this documentary on artists who are mothers across the U.S.
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- "I was born in Amsterdam—my mother is Dutch and my father is Croatian. They actually met when my mother was on vacation in Croatia when she was 18 years old. My father decided to move to Amsterdam to be with my mother and a few years later I was born! When I was almost 4, we moved to a suburb outside of Amsterdam. When I was 18, I started art school and studied photography. I have been a professional photographer for 7 years now!"
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- "Amsterdam didn't have a lockdown as strict as other cities. The cafes, restaurants, theaters, museums, and music halls were closed for a few months, but now thankfully they're open again. You have to make reservations for everything and wear a mask if you go on public transport. And you can't invite more than 6 people if you host a party."
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- "No, not at all actually."
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- "I was afraid that I wouldn't want to make art anymore and would only want to be with my baby, but that's not the case. When Sasha was 6 weeks old, we made this 'With You' series! Giving birth was a life-changing experience for me, something so surreal and so intense that I think I'm more emotional now and I suddenly have the urge to draw more, which is something I never really did before. But the past week I've been sketching a lot on my iPad. So, I am finding new ways to express myself. I think it has something to do with something inside me that's changed since I've become a mother. I'm still exploring this new side of me."
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- "In 'Before You' (Part 1 and Part 2), my most personal series of photos so far, I portray myself as a mother in the making. Through self-portraits I explored and expressed both a body and a person in transition, granting the viewer a look into the most significant change my colorful life has gone through so far. Typically, my work finds its genesis in what I experience in my own life. In 'Before You,' my pregnancy inspired me to play with the thought that my photography and life are no longer about myself alone. Aware of these new responsibilities, my performances have become more personal than ever. Moments of vulnerability alternate with those marked with fearlessness and determination. Those privy to my photography know that the figures in my work are never rendered as particularly female or male. In 'Before You,' I explore a new path: I emphasize my femininity without any hesitation. I experienced pregnancy as a powerful and transformative stage in life, which I convey through a photographical journey that is altogether crazy, confusing, and surreal, using my artistic tools to explore who I was at that moment and who I desired to become. In my series 'With You,' I wanted to show the intimate bond we have together as a family of three, but in an abstract kind of way."
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- "I planned to do the 'With You' shoot in Croatia, but because of Covid my flight was cancelled last minute. So, I photographed the series in the Netherlands. I did 1-2 weeks of thinking about the outfits and props. And then I went to a vacation house of a family member for a few days and drove around scouting locations. Then I photographed everything in a few days. There was a heat wave, so it was really intense for all three of us. But now I'm so happy we stuck to it and have the series forever."
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- "I would love to exhibit the photos and I'm also selling prints directly. People can email me at [email protected] if they are interested!"
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- "Yes, I would love that!"
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- "Definitely about motherhood. I'm not sure about birth and pregnancy, because I always make self portraits, and the birth and pregnancy is behind me. It'll be me as a mother now."
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- "Seeing your baby develop. Every week my son can do something new and I feel so proud of him all the time. And when he smiles, the whole room lights up. He has a really cute and genuine smile. And I love going outside with him. I love being together all the time, watching the trees and birds while we walk through the park."
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- "I thought I would be more nervous and afraid of him getting sick or that something bad would happen to him, but I actually feel very calm and I don't have a lot of fears yet. Maybe that will come as he gets older."
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"Don't be afraid that you will lose yourself or your abilities as an artist. You are still you, but even better, a person who has experienced something really special, so you will grow and your art might become even better. There's a good chance you will be become more at home with your feelings."
For more on Sanja Marušić and her work, be sure to follow her on Instagram @sanjamarusic and @sanjamarijamarusic, and check out her website, sanjamarusic.com.
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