Maria Svarbova’s (b. 1988) Swimming Pool images are instantly recognisable: figures, dressed in brightly coloured bathing suits and caps, line up amidst stark architectural spaces or immersed in water. The artist’s vision – defined by minimalism, detachment and symmetry, as well as an interest in buildings – has led to widespread acclaim: she’s been named a Hasselblad Master and appeared on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. Beyond this, Svarbova’s collaborators includes Kolektiv Cité Radieuse, a gallery established at the Unité d’Habitation Le Corbusier in Marseille. The photos navigate the architect’s so-called “vertical village”, visualising the relationship between human beings and his famous idea of houses as “a machine for living in.” She’s worked with the Museum of Ice Cream, where swimmers are immersed in pools of candy and sprinkles take water’s place. Finally, Lost in the Valley features models wandering across open roads and mountain ranges. mariasvarbova.com
Image credits:
1. © Maria Svarbova for Kolektiv Cité Radieuse, with the kind authorization of Le Corbusier Foundation © FLC I ADAGP Paris, (2025).
2. © Maria Svarbova for Kolektiv Cité Radieuse, with the kind authorization of Le Corbusier Foundation © FLC I ADAGP Paris, (2025).
3. © Maria Svarbova for Kolektiv Cité Radieuse, with the kind authorization of Le Corbusier Foundation © FLC I ADAGP Paris, (2025).
4. © Maria Svarbova for Kolektiv Cité Radieuse, with the kind authorization of Le Corbusier Foundation ©FLC I ADAGP Paris, (2025).
5. Maria Svarbova, Museum of Ice Cream, (2019).
6. Maria Svarbova, Museum of Ice Cream, (2019).
7. Maria Svarbova, Untitled, Pool, (2020).
8. Maria Svarbova, Grossling City-Bath, (2020).
9. Maria Svarbova, Museum of Ice Cream, (2019).
10. Maria Svarbova, Empty street, from Lost in the Valley, (2019).
11. © Maria Svarbova for Kolektiv Cité Radieuse, with the kind authorization of Le Corbusier Foundation ©FLC I ADAGP Paris, (2025).
