tom geraedts brings matisse cut-outs to life at the stedelijk museum amsterdam

tom geraedts brings matisse cut-outs to life at the stedelijk museum
all images courtesy of tom geraedts

commissioned by stedelijk museum amsterdam to promote their matisse exhibition running from now through august 16, 2015, ‘the oasis of matisse’ sends the viewer into an artistic universe of animated, cut-paper pieces. motion designer and art director tom geraedts shot the short film over the course of 1 day on site in a botanical garden and zoo in the netherlands’ capital. in homage to the famed french artist, geraedts brings the final chapter in matisse’s long creative career to life by giving mobility and dynamism to his cut-out series. 

colored sheets of paper, comprising forms of varying shapes and sizes from the organic to the abstract, are seen drifting through a park, peeling off of leaves and finally meandering into a gallery space where one of matisse’s cut-outs hangs. ‘we tried to keep in mind those aspects of matisse’s work and what could’ve been an inspiration, like the fertility of nature and the exotic shapes in its manifestations’, geraedts says. ‘the oasis of matisse’ transports the observer to a surreal, animated landscape, where art is removed from the canvass and instead winds up wandering though reality.

organic and abstract shapes meander through a lush garden 

layers of color peel away from the surface of the leaf like paper 

plant parts are transformed into matisse’s paper cut-outs 

the shape of a parrot cut-out in blue is animated in the short film 

the leaves and paper objects make their way into the gallery rooms