In the work of multidisciplinary artist Xandra van Rossem (Eemnes), music, craftsmanship, and visual arts come together naturally. Growing up in an artistic family, with a jazz musician and art painter for a father and a mezzo-soprano for a mother, art was a part of her daily life from the very beginning; quite simply, it is in her roots.
It all started with music. Xandra took vocal lessons at the Hilversum Conservatory and made her mark as a jazz singer for many years, from 1984 to 2016. Her eye for shape and material also led her to the craft of metalsmithing, earning her two maker’s marks in 1993. Following a period as a goldsmith and diamond setter in Amsterdam, ‘City of Diamonds,’ she broadened her horizons from 1997 onward to include graphic design, composition theory, and photography.
Philosophy
Self-realization forms the core of her art, inspired by the tradition of Advaita Vedanta. Where language and the intellect fall short of grasping true consciousness, Xandra uses photography as a direct visual entry point. With her camera and radical presence, she captures reality as it is: a reflection of life in the here and now. From a completely unique, recognizable visual language, she dissolves the artificial boundary between mysticism, philosophy, and science.
Work
Over the past thirty years, her work has evolved into a profound exploration of visual metaphors. In her layered collages, she creates an engaging interplay between rigid structures and openness. By utilizing symbolism and fragmentation, she leaves room for individual interpretation. In this process, major philosophical and sometimes dystopian themes transform into a universal, surreal visual language where beauty and discomfort meet face-to-face.