by Steven Seedo
PARAMARIBO — “Yes, my life has changed quite a bit. The most drastic change is that I am living together again after fifteen years, which requires adjustments and compromises in daily life.” The Surinamese visual artist Pearl Brunings (1969) contradicts this the True Time. “But it is nice that everything no longer rests solely on my shoulders and also to love and receive love again.”
After her participation in the television dating show ‘Winter Vol Liefde’ in the Netherlands – the recordings were in January and February 2025, the broadcast between January and March 2026 – she found the love that led to her marriage. She has now lived with her husband Robin in Sweden since the end of July 2025. What started as an exciting television adventure grew into a new chapter full of love, changes and artistic opportunities.
“You can’t plan that we actually chose each other in the end, but it is very nice that it turned out this way“
Emotional rollercoaster
Although she is happy, she misses her homeland. “I miss my friends and family in Suriname and the spontaneity of Surinamese life,” she agrees. Yet she reveals that a visit to Suriname is not an option for the time being. “The tickets are expensive, so there are no plans to come back yet.”
At the same time, Brunings appreciates her new environment. “I also like the Swedish climate.” Life in Sweden still requires some getting used to, but it also offers new opportunities. “It’s fun and good for my artistic goals,” she says.
She describes her participation in ‘Winter Vol Liefde’ as an emotional rollercoaster with more highs than lows. “It was a special and beautiful life experience. I also rediscovered a lot within myself along the way and grew emotionally.”
Brunings was inspired after she saw the summer version of the program ‘B&B Vol Liefde’ in 2024. When she later saw the candidates for the winter season, her eye fell on the man she would later marry. “He seemed like someone who suited me. You can’t plan for us ultimately choosing each other, but it is very nice that it turned out this way,” she sounds dreamily.
A lot has also changed for the artist on a personal level. Her youngest son Rafe (18 years old) has been living with her for over a month. “Rafe immediately learns Swedish and it’s going surprisingly well. He’s just started, but he enjoys it and is already making friends.”
Her daughter Rowen (21) lives in Belgium. Although she understands her own life and the choices of her son Dylan (19) in Suriname, she hopes that he too will one day join her again.
(read more below the photo)
Ambitions
Brunings is doing well professionally. Her solo exhibition opens in Sweden on May 30 with work from her recent ‘Woven Worlds’ collection, supplemented with new creations.
Her ambitions extend beyond just exhibiting. She focuses on increased international visibility and institutional recognition within the visual arts.
By actively participating in gallery presentations, open calls and artistic subsidies, she wants to create space for larger projects. In addition, she is gradually building relationships with curators and institutions, who can place her work in a broader, international context.
