Mariska Karto - Allegorie of time XL

Allegorie of time
This artwork was recently in exhibition in Paris at Art Icon and was also awarded in the International Photography Awards 2025, with the title "Honorable mention".

In this contemporary photo collage, I photographed my models in my studio and personally photographed all accessories and props, assembling everything into one single image. This work revolves around the concept of time and invites us to reflect on how we spend the time we have.
In my photo collage, I raise questions about who we are, what we do, and the nature of life. I challenge the viewer to think about their actions, what they are doing and whether what they do truly matters.
I hope to encourage people to reflect and to consider a different perspective because time keeps ticking.

The artwork is printed on 300 grams high-quality Hahnemühle art paper.
The size of the white border may vary per print.

About Mariska
Mariska is an actively exhibiting artist, both nationally and internationally, with her work featured in physical and online galleries. Her art moves between imagination, emotion, and conceptual thought, often infused with elements of surrealism. Since the beginning of her career, her work has captured the imagination of a wide audience and continues to resonate deeply.
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Short profile
I was born in Suriname, South America, and carry a rich cultural heritage within me: Surinamese, Indonesian, African, and a touch of Dutch. I grew up in the Netherlands, surrounded by the legacy of the old Dutch masters — in a land where Vermeer and Rembrandt are never far from sight.
An assignment for a perfume brand once took me to Venice. There, I was deeply moved by the baroque art, architecture, and layered history of the city. That experience stirred something profound in me and became a lasting source of inspiration that still shapes my artistic vision today.

My creative process is carefully crafted and deeply multidisciplinary. I build my sets with great attention to detail, incorporating my other artistic passions: charcoal drawing, working with gold, textiles, and advanced photo manipulation. Every piece I create brings all these elements together into one cohesive expression.
I photograph human figures, men and women but mainly women — powerful, glamorous, mysterious figures who exist in dreamlike, emotive worlds. They often appear unaware of their surroundings, yet they radiate a quiet, irresistible dominance.
My work is sensual and poetic, blending fantasy with the emotional sensitivity of the old masters, while remaining rooted in the present.

Exhibitions
*2025–2026 -Dec 2025 – Jan 2026 – Being a Woman, Pulchri Galerie, Den Haag (NL)
*13–16 Nov 2025 – Paris Exhibition Sex and Politics, met hyperphotocollage Allegorie of Time
*3 Okt – 28 Dec 2025 – MedFotoFestival 2025 Stories of Women, diverse steden in Oost-Sicilië (IT)
*Sept/Okt 2025 – Jury Member, Capture Awards (AUS)
*17 Mei – 15 Jun 2025– Voorjaarssalon, Pulchri Galerie, Den Haag (NL)
*Feb 2025 – Expositie Kleine Maten, Pulchri Galerie (NL)
*2024-3 Aug – 3 Nov 2024 – SCREENTIME #9 Video Art – Pulchri Galerie (video: Europe)
-Pulchri Studio/ april 2024- salon
-Micks Art Gallery Emmen, The Netherlands - oktober 2023/ januari 2024
-Exhibition New Members - Pulchri Studio / juli 2023
-Voorjaarssalon en Jacob Hartogprijs: Pulchri Studio/ april 2023
-Kleine formaat tentoonstelling - Pulchri Studio Den Haag / februari - mei 2023
-2022, toegelaten tot Pulchri,https://www.pulchri.nl/nl/
-From September - December 2022, Museum de Fundatie, Klimaatexpo 2022, Zwolle (The Netherlands - Fresco Climatechange Europe)
-From 25 August - 25 September Solo-exhibition 2021: Galerie Persoon and Oogenlust, the Netherlands
-From 30 November - January 2020 Solo-exhibition: Anita Neve Photo Gallery, the Netherlands
-From 25 May - 1 Septembre 2019, Museum de Fundatie, Zomerexpo 2019, Zwolle (The Netherlands - Citylandscape Europe)
-From 10 November 2018 - 10 January 2019, Anita Neve Galerie, Almere (the Netherlands)
-From 2 November 2018 my City-Landscape Den Haag/Delft at New Stadskantoor in Delft (the Netherlands)
-From 9-11 November 2018 in Paris, Imagenation Paris (France)
- Affordable Art Fair Battersea- Public House of Art (Autumn Edition: 2018) (UK)
-Hampstead London - Artfair UK 2018 (UK)
-Art Breda: Artfair The Netherlands 2018 (The Netherlands)
- KUNSTHUYS Best/ The Netherlands: December 2017-January 2018
(The Netherlands)
- Affordable Art Fair Battersea (Autumn Edition: October 2017) (UK)
- Art Pampelonne Saint Tropez: July 2017
- KunstRAI Amsterdam: June 2017
- Affordable Art Fair Hampstead (London): May 2017
- Art Breda: May 2017
-Context New York City: May 2017
-Abend Gallery, USA - Denver: march/april 2017
-Public House of Art, New York City AAF: 29 March - 2 April 2017
-Public House of Art, Amsterdam March 2017
-AAF Battersea, London, March 2017
-Scope Art show - New York, March 2017
-AAF Brussel, February 2017
-Rotterdam Contemporary and Affordable Art Fair Milan, both between Feb 8th-12th 2017
-Arte Fiera @ Bologna in Italy -27/30-01-2017
-Abend Gallery, Denver USA, 2017
Gallery Beeldend Gesproken/ Face the Dutch - Amsterdam
Exhibition 2 - 5 september 2016
Paris - Px3 Prix De La Photographie De Paris, Special Exhibition in Paris July 12-15, 2016
My Contemporary Fresco's are Fine art winners of complete category Fine Art 2016 - therefore they will be present on a Special Exhibition
Gallery Perry Kish - Heerlen
Exhibition Heerlen/ The Netherlands - Twee werken te zien vanaf 19 december 2015 tm januari 2016
19 december 2015 - 31 januari 2016
Smash Gallery - San Francisco
Fresco's and Muzes
12 september 2015 - 10 oktober 2015
AFK Gallery - Lisbon
Group Exhibition
22 mei 2015 - 11 juli 2015
Leontia Gallery - London
Pop-up show
19 september 2014 - 7 oktober 2014
Grachten Gallery Utrecht
Duo Exhibition with Jake Baddeley
7 september 2014 - 21 oktober 2014

Festivals
- 2025 November Art Icon / Paris - Sex and Politics
-FotoArtfestival Polen, solo-exhibition, 11th October till the 27th October 2019 in BIelsko-BIała. Poland
- Festival de Parfum in Grasse /Exposition "A fleur de peau" Grasse au pays des merveilles, 26th- 28th july 2019. France
-Group-exhibition in Arles, as part of the Voies Off Festival, at Galerie des Arenes, in the very heart of Arles under the care of imagination Paris. 15-20 july 2019 France
-From 19-25 September 2018, The largest festival of photography, in the Imperial City of Pingyao (China)
-Face the Dutch / Artwest - Amsterdam
Contemporary Photography of the Netherlands
2 September - 15 November 2016
Fotofever Paris
Paris presentation - Represented by Charlet Photographies. Fotofever Paris Carrousel Du Louvre.
13 november 2015 - 15 november 2015
International Photofestival Leiden
Two works to "Face the Dutch"at International Photofestival Leiden
10 oktober 2015 - 31 oktober 2015
Photoville Dutch Photography - New York
Photoville New York
11 september 2015 - 20 september 2015
Dutch Photography - New York
Alive! - Exhibition
18 september 2014 - 28 september 2014
Fotofever Paris
15 november 2013 - 17 november 2013

Awards
2025 – AWARDED THE TITLE “HONORABLE MENTION” IN THE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2025 – WORK: ALLEGORIE OF TIME
2025 – AWARDED THE TITLE “OFFICIAL SELECTION” IN THE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2025
2016 - PX3 First place Prix De La Photographie De Paris/ Gold Award, in complete category Professionals Fine Art with my Contemporary Fresco's. Px3 Special Exhibition in Paris on July 12-15
2016 - Nominated as Ambassador of Tolerance / Paleis van de Verdraagzaamheid - Netherlands
2016 - PX3 Silver Award Prix De La Photographie De Paris/ Black Pearl of the project Baroque Diversity
2016 - PX3 Prix De La Photographie De Paris/ Honorable Mention - The Happy Pil
2016 - International Photography Awards / Honorable Mention for the serie Baroque Diversity
2014 - Gold Award (Emotions) for work "Intense" in the Trierenberg Super Circuit
2013 - PX3 Prix De La Photographie De Paris /Fine art
Silver Award - Fresco The Fallen
Bronzen Award - Excession
2012- International Photography Awards
Four honourable mentions
Honorable mention Secrets
Honorable mention Magic
Honorable mention Tender
Honorable mention Sweet dreams or not
2012- PX3 Prix De La Photographie Paris / Two Honorable Mentions - photo Muzes and photo Soft
2012- Finalist: The third competition of the Julia Margaret Cameron Award, female photographers (Worldwidephotography Gala Awards)
2011 - International Loupe Awards:
Received Silver Award 2011 - Category Abstract/Illustrative
Received six Bronzen Awards 2011 - Category Abstract/Illustrative
Received two Bronzen Awards 2011 - Category People & Portrait