BIOGRAPHY :
Welcome to my website :) I was captivated by the enchanting world of photography at a young age, assisting my father in his darkroom. As I journeyed into adulthood, photography became part of my professional journey. At the age of 22, I worked as an assistant to an industrial photographer, honing my skills in composing captivating images of semi-finished plastic products. Simultaneously, I enrolled in an evening course at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. It was there that I discovered the works of photographers and artists such as Jeff Wall, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Carel Visser, Jeff Koons, Carel Willink, and Martin Parr. Their artistry ignited a passion within me for the art of storytelling through imagery.
Years later, I was asked to portray Martin Parr, in his hometown of Bristol for the Volkskrant Magazine. During our encounter, he graciously treated me to a brown Marmite sandwich in his kitchen, an experience I treasure to this day. Although I'm not particularly fond of Marmite, that sandwich tasted like ....... After completing my formal education, I delved into the world of portraiture, collaborating with diverse magazines both domestically and internationally. In each portrait, I strive to evoke a sense of suspense, a delicate balance between reality and my imagination.
In the present moment, my projects have evolved to tell stories independently. I relish the opportunity to explore my subjects from unique perspectives, be it through portraiture, landscapes, or still-life compositions of found objects. No approach is beyond the realm of possibility as long as it contributes to the narrative I aim to convey.
At a critical juncture in my life, when I was faced with serious health issues, I had to search for a different and less stressful outlet for my creativity. This search led me back to a long-forgotten love: drawing and painting, rediscovering the artistic roots I had been seeking since my time after graduating from art school in 2000. In this artistic space, I am unrestricted by any limitations, and my physical energy translates immediately to the canvas. This has revitalized my approach to drawing and painting but has also influenced my perspective on photography.
CLIENT LIST :
editorial : CARP, Volkskrant , hp de Tijd , MAN ,Squeeze,Avenue,Flying Dutchman , Slam, Strictly ,Volkskrant Magazine , Vrij Nederland , Marie Claire , ELLe ,DerSpiegel , ADDICT , GQ-USA , POL-OXYGEN,Muzeumcafé Hungary,Forbes Spain,De Morgen,Art-magazine Germany,het Parool
EDUCATION:
1994 -1999 Royal Academy of Fine Arts – The Hague
GRANTS / AWARDS:
2023 4 works purchased by the Frans Hals Museum Haarlem
2023 European Newspaper Award (ENA) - Mijn Ouders - Uit meer dan 4000 inzendingen heeft het artikel over mijn ouders in het NRC gewonnen bij de
European Newspaper Award (ENA)
My parents - From more than 4000 entries, the article about my parents in the NRC has won at the European Newspaper Award (ENA).
2023 Shortlisted for Portrait of Humanity Vol. 5
2019 Honorable Mention / Life Framer - Juried by Brian Paul Clamp
2019 Honorable Mention / The 12th Edition of the Pollux Award Juried by Philip Brookman, consulting curator, National Gallery of Art, Washington.
2012 Dutch National Portrait award / Nominated
2001/2002 11th Photography Annual of the Netherlands / Nominated
2000/2001 10th Photography Annual of the Netherlands / Nominated
1999/2000 9th Photography Annual of the Netherlands / Silver and Merit
1998/1999 8th Photography Annual of the Netherlands / Nominated
AUTONOMOUS WORK / EXHIBITIONS:
2024 - Group Exhibition, at Gallery Nazareth - Paris - 46 Rue Notre Dame de Nazareth
2023 - Exhibition ‘NO STILL LIFE TO WASTE’ afval bestaat niet, Den Bosch - Verkade Fabriek
- Group Exhibition ‘ of integration’ van der Plas Gallery New York ‘drawings‘
- part of photo fair Buy My Darlings
2022 - Solo Exhibition ‘NO STILL LIFE TO WASTE’ afval bestaat niet, Haarlem
- part of photo fair Buy My Darlings
- Art Eindhoven - work from various projects on show @ Art Eindhoven
2019 - Group Exhibition Barcelona Spain - LifeFramer
2018 - Exhibition ‘ Jansje Hals’
2015 - Exhibition 'Jansje in Nepal ' de Gang in Haarlem
2011 - Group Exhibition Mennonites Mennonites ‘De Gang’ Haarlem
2008 - 2009 - Exhibition ‘ terug naar Pakantan’ in de Gang Haarlem
2008 - Revisit the Pakatan valley in Sumatra/Indonesia for three weeks, where a Dutch Baptist missionary shot images of the local populace
exactly 100 years ago.
2007 - Exhibition Eyecatcher in The Music Theatre Amsterdam The Face of The National Dutch Ballet,
- Photofestival Naarden“Buy Me” billboard on Naarden Wall
2005/2006 - Group show FOAM Museum van Loon with Simon Wheatley and Justin Jin
2004 - Group show NEL “ Me myself and Eye” Amsterdam The Netherlands
2002 - Group show NEL in the Arena Amsterdam The NetherlandsGroupshow
- Group show PANL during Photofestival of Naarden The Netherlands
- Group show “ Foam in the Park”
2001 - Group show PANL during Photofestival of Naarden/ The Netherlands
- Groupshow PANLin PortugalClube de criativos de Portugal
2000 - Groupshow‘Swearing” The Warehouse London in cooperation with agency KesselsKramer
1999 - Group show “ selected work from final work Royal Academy of Arts………. The Hague The Netherlands