Docu Interview: Marjolijn De Groot

“Sororie” is an old french term for sisters, the masculin word “fratrie” is still used whereas the female version is not. This series is a chapter of my work exploring the relationship between sisters. I’m interested in the space each one takes within the family structure. This miniature society in which they evolve is intimate, complex and can be experienced as invasive. This territory they occupy and share is a fragile border that wavers between love and intrusion. The profound bond that has developed over time generates complicity and rivalry. I try to capture these emotions as I photograph them in situations that happen spontaniously as well as staged. A mixture of reportage and portraiture. My staging is always a beginning point to initiate interaction but never do I control what will happen next. That’s when I manage to seize the moments I’m interested in. I photographed the sisters in these series between 2015-2020. I chose their home, situated in the countryside, as the setting. They have lived here all their lives and thus it seemed very important to me to portray their environment. Time seems to stop and nothing changes except for them. It is an ongoing project in which I photograph different ‘sorories’