"The Present" : Original Artwork by Karien Bredenkamp
"The Present" : Mat Boards that Original and Limited Edition Prints get shipped in

"The Present"

$39.00
Print Or Original?:Limited Edition Print
Quantity:
Only 49 units left

Prints: Limited edition of 50

About The Artwork:

"The Present" is a symbolic black-and-white artwork that explores feminine strength, presence, and the quiet act of continuing through hardship. A ballerina stands atop a music box beneath a night sky, with Haystack Rock rising from the ocean behind her. Cherry blossoms frame the edges of the composition, and one arm reaches upward, fist closed. This whimsical black-and-white art piece draws on themes of grace under pressure, inner rhythm, and the power of the present moment.

The ballerina is one of the most enduring symbols of disciplined grace and feminine strength. Ballet carries centuries of cultural weight, representing both the beauty and the cost of devotion to an art form. In many spiritual and mythological traditions, the dancing female figure embodies the sacred feminine, creation expressed through movement and form. Yet the ballerina also carries a shadow side, one of sacrifice, endurance, and the performance of effortlessness despite enormous strain. In "The Present," she does not perform for an audience. She dances alone in the dark, which makes her presence all the more intentional.

The music box is a symbol of memory, time, and the interior life. Its melody plays whether anyone listens or not. In folklore and literature, music boxes often appear as small magical objects that contain entire worlds. The ballerina atop a music box suggests someone who continues to move even when the outside world has gone quiet or dark. It speaks to the internal rhythm we carry that no external circumstance can fully extinguish.

Cherry blossoms are among the most celebrated symbols in Japanese culture, representing the beauty and brevity of life. Their blooming is honored precisely because it does not last, a reminder to inhabit each moment fully. In the language of flowers, they also carry themes of renewal, feminine resilience, and the courage to bloom in uncertain seasons. Framing the edges of this scene, they acknowledge the darkness without being overcome by it.

The raised fist is a universal symbol of resistance and inner power. Across cultures and movements, the closed fist held aloft has represented a refusal to be diminished. It is not an act of aggression but of declaration, an assertion of strength and dignity. In "The Present," the fist belongs to a woman dancing alone at night by the sea. Its presence transforms the scene from one of solitude into one of sovereignty.

Together, these elements form a layered reflection on presence and perseverance. The ballerina does not wait for daylight or applause. She moves now, in the dark, by the ocean, under stars, surrounded by blossoms that will not last. "The Present" is a reminder that tenderness and strength can coexist, and that choosing to stay present, especially in difficult seasons, is its own form of power. This black and white art piece honors the quiet courage of continuing.

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost." ― Martha Graham