Foam x Polaroid: Capture real life with Marcel Veldman
The Foam and Polaroid series continues into the new year with a special day featuring Marcel Veldman – a photographer, skateboarder, and creator of the notorious Fluff magazine.
Join us on 13 January as we explore the beautiful relationship between Polaroid and the skateboarding community, examining Marcel Veldman’s ability to harness the creative capabilities of instant film to capture the essence of skateboarding culture and lifestyle.
Skateboarding and Polaroid photography have a lot in common. Both thrive on authenticity, promote self-expression, and are fuelled by a passionate community. Marcel Veldman has collected more than thirty Polaroid cameras, which he has been using since 1999 to capture portraits of the skaters and raw, real moments from the life of the community.
His desire to get really close to the subject and reveal deep and authentic truth with his photography continues with his latest "slow motion portrait" project, where he takes around one hundred Polaroid photos of a person that form a collage.
About Marcel Veldman
As one of the most notable skateboard photographers, Marcel Veldman has captured both the greats and the ‘still to be discovered’ of the modern-day skate world, gaining both unique insights and the trust of the skate community. As a skater himself, Veldman started shooting his environment more than 20 years ago, photographing the life he inhabited and the culture he was a part of. His passion led him to create the award-winning publication Fluff, which blended skating, street culture and after-hours antics with a truthful realism. Known for its irregular schedule and unique design of every issue, the magazine won many awards including “The best designed book of the century” in the Netherlands in 2015.
Not confined to skateboarding world, Marcel worked for many national and international brands and publications, covering a wide variety of subjects, using both digital and analogue formats.
About the series
Foam x Polaroid
Foam and Polaroid team up to host a series of artist talks and student workshops dedicated to the captivating world of Polaroid photography. This four-part series delves deep into the Polaroid phenomenon, exploring it through the lenses of art, science, experimentation, and technology, unravelling its social and cultural heritage and impact.
Each event is headlined by an acclaimed camera artist known for their creative use of Polaroid photography and pushing the boundaries of what instant film can do. Throughout the evening, they will engage in an artist talk to discuss their work, their perspectives on the storytelling possibilities, and the enduring relevancy of this unique medium.
The upcoming masterclasses will be announced soon. Sign up to our newsletter to be notified.
About Polaroid
As the originator of instant photography, Polaroid withstands the test of time. With the accessibility and advancement of digital technology, instant photography is no longer the fastest way to take a photograph and hold it in your hand. Still, its creative appeal has endured. The charm of a tangible, magically developing in front of your eyes Polaroid photography remains a cherished form of artistic expression.
Polaroid is living through a resurgence as more people are drawn to the tactile pursuit of analog photography. Its factory in Enschede is ramping up the production of the instant film, and recently, the company announced the Polaroid I-2 – a high-end camera designed with professional photographers in mind. With this new product, Polaroid's ambition is to continue the legacy of the brand that has inspired artists like Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe, Maripol, Keith Haring, and Guy Bourdin.
This programme is made possible with the support of Polaroid.
Foam is supported by the VriendenLoterij, Foam Members, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, the VandenEnde Foundation and the city of Amsterdam.
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Foam x Polaroid: Capture real life with Marcel Veldman