During the 16th century, it was noticed that some tulips would “break” from one season to another, unexpectedly blooming in flames of colour. These “Broken Tulips” were highly sought after in Dutch society, becoming a mainstay of Dutch flower painting. During the golden age of European Marquetry that followed, their luscious petals were a regular motif.

Broken Tulips explores marquetry tulips in a modern context. Translucent layers of marquetry are built up into subtle tonal effects breaking through each other. These are contorted under vacuum, freezing them in space and creating ethereal flower forms which defy gravity.