Xandra van Rossem (Eemnes) was born into a musical and artistic family. Her father, a renowned jazz musician and art painter, and her mother, a mezzo-soprano, laid the foundation for her love of jazz at an early age. She took vocal lessons at the Hilversum Conservatory, establishing the basis for her career as a jazz vocalist—a career that spanned from 1984 to 2016.
Alongside her musical career, Xandra also developed her skills in the visual arts. In 1993, she was awarded her registered master goldsmith’s mark from the Jewelry Arts Program in Amsterdam, after which she worked as a goldsmith and diamond setter in the city, often referred to as the “Amsterdam Diamond City.” In 1997, she completed a program in graphic arts, where her passion for composition and photography emerged.
Philosophy
Since her youth, Xandra has been rooted in jazz, her creative and philosophical home. In 2013, she turned to street photography, which led to various projects and exhibitions. Her vision of self-realization is deeply influenced by Advaita Vedanta. This philosophy asserts that consciousness cannot fully know itself through thought and concepts. Where language and intellect fall short, image—particularly photography—offers the opportunity to access a deeper level of awareness.
For Xandra, photography is the visual expression of consciousness: each image reveals that self-realization is not an abstraction but a direct, all-encompassing experience of the present moment, where mysticism and science merge.
Work
Over the past 30 years, her work has evolved into a play of visual metaphors. Her layered collages leave room for multiple interpretations and bring together different disciplines, with symbolism as a guiding thread. Philosophical and sometimes dystopian ideas merge into a universal visual language, expressed in a whimsical, surreal world.
Studio
In her studio, Xandra creates jewelry from precious metals and gemstones—unique pieces where craftsmanship and artistic imagination come together.