Mareli draws inspiration from the narrative potential of form, colour and texture.

Her recent works exploit the tension created by juxtaposing objects from unusual contexts within scenes dominated by vibrant colour accents. Her working process is very intuitive and and the conduit of excitement throughout the shoot. Ideas may be mocked up before shooting begins but the final product is informed by a spontaneous approach to the subject matter, portraying a unique connections with the presented reality.

Lal’s inspirations and formats often change but her clean, contemporary aesthetic remains a trademark of her work. She likes to respond to the unexpected moments in her creative process when creating new contexts for seemingly arbitrary objects or exploiting the awkwardness of the relationships that emerge in her theatrical photographic stage. Clear references to fashion photography are subverted in her compositions that through a harmony of form function as playful meditations on the visual links in everyday life.

Mareli Lal studied photography at NMMU in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and held her debut exhibition at Dirt Contemporary, Cape Town as part of a residency programme. She has exhibited in numerous exhibitions both locally and abroad. She currently lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa.