merette uiterwaal
explore how merette her colorblind perspective brings new dimensions to her work
Merette Uiterwaal (b. 1990, Amsterdam Zuid-Oost, Netherlands) is a photographer whose work is deeply influenced by her color blindness. This condition, affecting just 0.5% of women in the Netherlands, offers her a distinct perspective on the world. Unlike individuals with normal color vision, Uiterwaal perceives a limited range of colors. Where others might see a spectrum of red shades, she identifies only four, which blend into muted tones like brown, yellow, and orange, similar to a red shirt that has faded with time.
Her photographic style sits at the crossroads of abstraction and figuration. While her images are often recognizable, the movement and blur within them convert familiar scenes into abstract forms. This intentional blurriness acts as a metaphor for her color blindness, visually representing the distortion in her color perception.
Uiterwaal’s art delves into the nuances of seeing and not seeing color. It poses questions about what it means to experience the world through a color-blind perspective and how this unique view influences the creation and perception of art. Although only 0.003% of people are completely colorblind, Uiterwaal’s partial color perception significantly shapes her artistic approach.
In 2018, the discovery of a color-correcting lens revealed a new dimension of color to her. Although the lens doesn’t fully correct her vision, it exposed her to the rich and complex world of color that she had previously missed. This revelation has driven her to explore the limits of her color blindness and to use this condition as a creative tool.
Uiterwaal’s work integrates various media, including photography, audio, ceramics and mixed media, to create a visual language that examines the essence of color and the challenges of color blindness. Her art encourages viewers to look beyond the obvious and uncover the hidden beauty and complexity of the world.
MERETTE UITERWAAL IN HER own words
-
"Being colorblind is my constant source of inspiration. Since receiving my colorblind correction glasses, a whole new world has opened up to me. Every day, I discover new colors and continue to be surprised by how differently I perceive them. I find inspiration in the small details of everyday life—vegetables at the market, trees and flowers, people going about their routines, and even the energy of club culture. You’ll often see me quickly snapping photos with my iPhone, capturing moments to revisit later."
-
"I’m a slow and deliberate worker. It can take me months to conceptualize a new series, from imagining how it should look to figuring out the technical aspects. I often take long walks in cities or nature to think and daydream, sketching and writing down ideas, but most of the work happens in my mind. Then, suddenly, I’ll have a clear vision and create the work in a relatively short time. However, the process of selecting the final images can be lengthy—I tend to struggle with decision-making, so deadlines are crucial for me. Without them, the process could drag on for a year!"
-
"Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we experience and perceive color in different ways. I’m experimenting with new methods of experiencing photography, pushing the boundaries of how it’s traditionally viewed. Many of my recent works resemble watercolor paintings, but they’re actually photographs. I’m also exploring light art at the moment and hope to expand into other mediums like textiles and sculpture."
-
"I’ve always dreamed of creating artwork for a wine label. It’s something I often find myself daydreaming about, and I would love to bring that vision to life."