Art Director and Still Life Artist Sonia Rentsch crafts captivating still life imagery infused with emotional depth and a flair for the unconventional. Originally from Australia and now based in New York, she collaborated with French photographer Maxime Poiblanc on a series for Subtle Bodies, blending botanicals with the element of fire.
SB: Can you share your journey into still life art?
I hold a degree in Industrial Design, and after moving to Berlin in 2009, I found myself struggling to find work. After nine months of unemployment, I landed a position assisting an artist who created conceptual works documented through photography—a world I hadn’t even known existed. Upon returning to Australia six months later, I realized there was a notable gap in the market for this kind of work.
I spent countless hours reaching out to photographers whose style aligned with mine and persuaded many of them to meet me for coffee. One generous soul told me to bring him an idea—he liked it and suggested we shoot another. Those photos ended up on the cover of The Washington Post Magazine, and everything changed from there.
What draws you most to still life art?
The obsessive attention to detail shared by a small, focused team working together to perfect each piece.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
Inspiration can come from anywhere. Artists are poets at heart—sometimes it's the way light filters through a familiar space, sometimes it's a walk through an unfamiliar city. Both can spark fresh ideas.
Tell us about your creative process for the Subtle Bodies series.
Maxime was set on not featuring the incense itself in the visuals. Instead, we aimed to evoke a mood that embodies Subtle Bodies. That gave me the freedom to play with elements and approach scent as an emotional experience rather than a physical one.
