Created by Gerco de Ruijter in 2003. The artwork is a c-print on aluminum and displayed at 50 x 50 cm.

Today one might think that this image was taken with the help of a drone. However, back in 2003, drones weren’t all that common. Instead, the Dutch photographer Gerco de Ruijter attached an analogue camera to a kite to get a bird's-eye view of the construction site. De Ruijter’s artistic practice is characterised by his use of unique perspectives, allowing him to search for patterns from the sky to create abstract representations of the landscape. The geometric shapes in the image consist of areas from the building site in different stages of construction, giving the image a mosaic-like feel. 

In the early 2000s, several photographers were invited to capture the construction of the financial district of Amsterdam (Zuidas). 

 belongs to a series that presents Gerco de Ruijter’s interpretation of this project. 

Mahler IV

Created by Betty Ras in 2006. Using inkjet on FinArt Baryta by Hahnemühle as the medium, the artwork is displayed at 50 x 50 cm.

Betty Ras is one of the photographers who took part in 

, a long-term project recording the construction of the financial district of Amsterdam, De Zuidas, in the early 2000s. Each year different photographers were invited to give their own interpretation of the continuously changing construction side. De Zuidas is characterised by high-rise buildings, housing the offices of large multinationals and top accounting and law firms.

 shows the outline of one of the first high-rises in the area as seen from a nearby park. Ras worked with black-and-white photography, giving the image a timeless feel. The bright cut-out in contrast to the dark surroundings of the park stands out. Through this intervention, Betty Ras emphasises how the high-rises from De Zuidas form a new skyline, fundamentally changing the scenery of this area. 

Beatrixpark

 in 2004. The artwork is an analogue c-print and is displayed at 61 x 80 cm.

System 8, from the series Kosmos, 2011

visible in

is the main business district of Amsterdam, located south of the inner city. Starting in 2001, every year two to four photographers and visual artists received an assignment to capture this area and its rapidly changing environment. The ten works by Jasper Wiedeman that feature in 

 are a documentation of the garden that he created in the middle of the Zuidas.

06.09.2004

 in 2018. The artwork is an ice photogram digitally printed on glass, and is displayed at 33 x 40 cm.

In an attempt to minimize the devastating effect of global warming on the glaciers of the Swiss Alps, each summer they are covered with geotextile blankets that are designed to keep the ice cool. Douglas Mandry journeyed his native country, intrigued by this desperate attempt to prevent the receding glaciers from further melting. The artist collected disused pieces of geotextile from the mountains, and later processed them as a base for found photographs of early twentieth-century alpinism in the region. Mandry also took bits of broken ice from the glacier with him in a cool box. In the darkroom, he put the ice in the enlarger, where it started to melt and drip onto the photo paper, creating a colourful aura of the glacier. Mandry then reproduced these photograms on glass plates. 

could be considered an index of the vanishing glaciers of Switzerland: frozen time, captured in an instant by the principles of photography.

Monuments, Aletsch #2, 2018

 in 2011. Using c-print as the medium, the artwork is displayed at 99 x 129 cm.

 is reminiscent of outer space; it is a familiar picture  of the infinite, of the unknown and total chaos that surrounds us. The photographs in the series 

 by Joris Jansen refuse the reading of the medium of photography as a method to make things visible. His photographs rather make things invisible. Jansen rephotographs the surface of an analogue photograph. By doing so he creates an imaginary universe full of milky ways and swarming planets. This new universe is far removed from the initial photograph and thus only the materiality of the analogue photograph seems to be relevant for the creation of a completely new universe. 

System 8

Kardeşlik from the series Turunç

 in 2020. Using photography printed on transparent fabric  as the medium, the artwork is displayed at 250 x 203 cm.

Evimde from the series Turunç

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 (Bitter Orange) records the daily lives of young men with a Turkish background in the suburbs of Paris and Berlin. Solène Gün, herself a child of Turkish immigrants and raised in a Parisian suburb, captures the fraternity and strong mutual solidarity that can also go hand in hand with a lack of perspective.

The work is named after an orange commonly found in Turkey. The fruit is a metaphor for the bittersweet existence of a community that is frequently the target of negative stereotyping. Torn between the conflicting urge to hide and the wish to be heard, these men are portrayed faceless. Gün’s focus is on the symbols and gestures through which their identities are expressed, such as a necklace, a prayer rug or the silhouette of a brotherly handshake.

Evimde from the series Turunç

 in 2020. Using photography printed on satin paper as the medium, the artwork is displayed at 110 x 90 cm.

. Through this image, the symbol of fraternity is placed at the forefront in order to escape the stereotypes people may have on suburbs and young from the Turkish community.

Kardeşlik from the series Turunç

 in 2003.  The work explores genres such as 

Potato, 2003

For a diverse group of contemporary photographers, the Dutch still life remains a source of inspiration, but with a modernised and updated concept in a contemporary visual language. This highly stylized portrait of one of the most Dutch products ever, the potato, is far from classic, but instead starkly graphic. The humble vegetable is staged like a fashion model in this work by Blommers & Schumm. At the centre of attention the potato with its blemished skin gains a sculptural quality.

Potato

Created by Cristina De Middel in 2013. Using inkjet on cotton paper as the medium, the artwork is displayed at 100 x 100 cm. The work explores genres such as the 

The portrait potrays a Zambian man in a space uniform. The work is part of the series 

Untitled, from the series The Afronauts, 2012

The starting point for the project The Afronauts is derived from the history of Zambia. A space program started by a school teacher suddenly enlisted Zambia to join the United States and Russia in the space race. The hoped-for outcome was the first African on the moon. However, a lack of financial aid meant that this ambitious initiative was doomed to fail. Fifty years later, De Middel reconstructs this story, using her own imagination.

Untitled from the series Afronauts

 in 2013. Using inkjet print as the medium, the artwork is displayed at 120 x 96 cm. The work explores genres such as the 

Current Study #3 is an experiment to photograph something that normally cannot be documented visually: air. 

Current Study #3, 2013

The work of Sjoerd Knibbeler focuses on visualising invisible natural phenomena such as the wind, air movement and climatological conditions. His work could be defined as ‘constructed photography’ – the construction of all sorts of self-imagined and created objects mostly takes place in the studio. There he simulates wind, clouds or a tornado, and he experiments with fragile constructions in a variety of materials such as plastic, paper and fiberboard. Knibbeler explores the paradoxical relation between the still, two-dimensional character of photography and his often transparent, moving, voluminous subjects. He uses photography as a means of visualising his ideas, but everything he photographs is real. Through his artistic practice, he proves the camera to be able to reveal processes that wouldn’t be noticed otherwise.

Current Study #3

Created by Katinka Goldberg in 2014. The artwork is printed on Canson platine fiber rag - glossy - 310g, mounted on dibond and displayed at 100 x 70 cm.

Waves from the Web, 2009

Visible in

, another of Katinka Goldberg’s works from the series 

, what stands out (other than the difference in palette) is the difference in distance. Instead of a close-up that fills the entire frame, 

 shows a small, cut-out photo piece in the middle of a blue plane. On the cut-out, we can distinguish the same kind of hair as in 

, the series that this photo is part of, is the second entry in a trilogy in which Katinka Goldberg investigates her relationship with her family in a poetic manner. The Swedish term Bristningar literally translates to “striae” (stripes in the skin caused by stretching), but it also has the more figurative meaning of “shortcomings”. The series consists of collages created by Goldberg that depict the tension between closeness and distance and, in a process of healing, deconstruct the body and put it back together. The question she keeps asking herself is: how much can you take away from yourself without disappearing completely? 

The Birdnest, 2014 from the series Bristningar

The Birdnest, 2014

This close-up of curly hair and how the light falls across it give this image an intimate feel. At the same time, it is cut off in such a way that viewers have no idea who this hair belongs to or what the person looks like. With this image, photographer Katinka Goldberg captures a particular emotional mood that is typical of her work. 

The Hair, 2014 from the series Bristningar

The Hair, 2014

Created by Stefanie Moshammer in 2017. The artwork is a Photo rag mount on dibond and displayed at 160 x 106 cm.

In Western media, Haiti is generally portrayed as a place plagued by poverty, natural disasters and corruption – a one-dimensional view that was reinforced by the devastating earthquake that hit the country in 2010. In her series 

, Stefanie Moshammer presents an alternative and more nuanced view that highlights Haiti’s unique culture, language and history without brushing aside the country’s issues. Moshammer’s photos poetically capture the Haitian people’s living conditions in close-ups of human figures that showcase both the country’s idyllic beauty and the struggles of living without a water supply or electricity. 

 has a certain dynamism and playfulness you don’t often find in portrait photography. Take another good look at the photo: what elements can you identify that strengthen this dynamic feel? 

Kawa from the series Tomorrow of Yesterday, 2017

Kawa, 2017

Created by Harit Srikhao in 2017. The artwork is an inkjet print on Epson satin paper and displayed at 124 x 100 cm.

In Hindu and Buddhist mythology, Apsaras are immortal nymphs that often appear as attractive young women whose purpose it is to seduce. This portrait by artist Harit Srikhao, part of the series 

, presents a modern, surrealist depiction of an Apsara. The visual idiom that the artist uses is derived from fetish fantasies, Buddhist symbols, and Thai culture. In 

, Srikhao reflects on the glorification of the monarchy in his country and comments on the role of depictions of the king in the Thai people’s everyday lives. Srikhao’s works have had their consequences: in the past, various of his images were removed from an exhibition in Bangkok because they criticised the actions of the military regime in power at the time. 

The Portrait of an Apsara, 2017 from the series Mt Meru, 2017

The Portrait of an Apsara, 2017

Created by Harit Srikhao in 2017. The artwork is an inkjet print on Epson satin paper and displayed at 116 x 144 cm.

In the average Thai household, a photo of the king takes pride of place, occupying the highest, most prominent place on the wall. Having grown up with this glorification of royalty, artist Harit Srikhao reflects on the divine status attributed to the king of Thailand. The idolatrous worship of his image is a deeply-rooted part of Thai society, and offers refuge in a fantasy world. In the series 

, the name of a sacred mountain that also forms the centre of the universe in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology, Srikhao shows the viewer this surrealist landscape full of fantastic, divine figures. His photos do not depict any nirvana, however – if anything, they put one in mind of violent rituals, cannibalism and masochism. In this way, Srikhao’s 

 emphasises the paradox of what he encounters in Thailand: the everyday worship of a portrait of the ruling power versus the absence of room to question its meaning. 

The Indra Reincarnation, 2017 from the series Mt Meru, 2017

The Indra Reincarnation, 2017

Created by Namsa Leuba in 2015. The artwork is an inkjet print on satin paper on dibond 2mm and displayed at 60 x 43.8 cm.

This photo is bursting with graphic forms and lively colours, and the model’s posture radiates a sense of pride. The pink background contrasts with the yellow on Damien’s cheek. Aesthetically, this photo resembles a fashion shoot, much like you can find in a fashion magazine. Yet the photographer Namsa Leuba actually works in the space between multiple genres: inspired by fashion photography, she combines this form with documentary practices and performance art. In het series 

, she explores Nigeria’s innovative and creative youth culture. The Nigerian capital of Lagos, with its bustling chaos and resolute energy, served as Leuba’s inspiration for this series. To create 

, she collaborated with local fashion designers and models to translate the city’s vitality into a visual explosion of clothing, props and accessories. The resulting images, such as this portrait of Damien, present a complex, dynamic and contemporary reflection of Lagos, a city that proudly proclaims its own identity. 

Damien, 2015 from the series Next Generation Lagos, 2015

Damien, 2015

Created by Vasantha Yogananthan in 2016. The artwork is a black and white c-print hand-painted by Jaykumar Shankar and displayed at 42 x 34 cm.

The symmetry of the pillars and the double wooden doors on either side of the central figure funnel all attention to the subject. The contrast between the bright colours of the clothing and the monotonous colour of the door further accentuates the elegantly dressed boy. Note the use of lines in this photo: the border between the pink and blue fabric is almost exactly in line with the gap between the doors above, and visually splits the image in two. The photo is part of the series 

, in which artist Vasantha Yogananthan creates a contemporary interpretation of the ancient epic of 

. Using old mythologies and techniques, Yogananthan tells the story of India’s changing, modern society. The artist took photos throughout the entire region, with the current residents of the mythical landscapes serving as his models – regardless of their castes.

'Boy Playing Girl', Janakpur, Nepal, 2016 from the series A Myth of Two Souls, 2013 - ongoing

'Boy Playing Girl', Janakpur, Nepal, 2016

Created by Vasantha Yogananthan in 2015. The artwork is a archival inkjet print on Canson Print Making Rag 310gsm and displayed at 81 x 65.5 cm.

A frame within a frame, within yet another frame: the bird in this image is not only imprisoned within a cage, but also within the white field of the sheet, which is in turn enclosed by the photo itself. The light background creates a clear contrast between the bars of the cage and the sheet, and as a result, the cage and the bird almost seem to separate from the image. At the same time, the sheet on the clothesline almost precisely mirrors the dimensions of the image, enhancing the aesthetic. 

. The second chapter celebrates the love between the two protagonists, prince Rama and princess Sita. Knowing this, the image takes on a melancholic mood: what exactly is Yogananthan suggesting with the title “lovebird”, when the bird is trapped in a cage? It is this suggestive quality in the image that gives it its poetic character. 

'Lovebird', Ramtek, Maharashtra, India, 2015 from the series A Myth of Two Souls, 2013 - ongoing

'Lovebird', Ramtek, Maharashtra, India, 2015

Created by Vasantha Yogananthan in 2015. The artwork is a archival inkjet print on Canson Print Making Rag 310gsm and displayed at 81 x 64 cm.

For a full five years, Vasantha Yogananthan travelled through India and Nepal, in pursuit of the Hindu god Rama. His photos form a modern interpretation of the Ramayana, a Hinduist text that dates from approximately 300 BC. According to this epic, Rama was banished from his kingdom along with his wife Sita. They fled to the jungle, where Sita was kidnapped by the demon Ravana. In the end, Rama was able to defeat Ravana and free Sita. The artist was inspired by the story’s prominent presence in everyday life in India, and how it is constantly being rewritten. Note the precise moment at which this photo was taken: the comb has just been passed through Rama’s hair in a single, smooth motion, as we can see from the clean, straight rows it has left behind. While everything else in the photo is in sharp focus, the comb itself is only visible as a blurry stripe. The meditative moment in which Rama stares into the mirror contrasts with the speed of the movement embodied in the comb.

'Rama Combing His Hair', Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2015, from the series A Myth of Two Souls, 2013 - ongoing

'Rama Combing His Hair', Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2015

Created by Misha de Ridder in 2011. The artwork is Kodak Endura on dibond and displayed at 64 x 80 cm.

In Misha de Ridder’s enchanting landscapes, the viewer discovers the mesmerising beauty of pristine nature, as well as the vulnerability of human life in a rugged world. De Ridder searches out the absence of any human intervention and then waits for the climax of the transient, created particularly by the ever-changing light conditions. It is not just the massive mountain ranges that make an impression, but also the unique quality of light in the sub-arctic northern regions. We see a narrow band of light making its way toward snow-covered slopes, in the midst of a landscape shaded over by clouds. The photograph, 

 for which De Ridder travelled to northern Norway to document the extremes of nature. 

Brennfjell, 2011 from the series Solstice

Brennfjell, 2011

Created by Jack Davison in 2012. The artwork is mounted on PVC and displayed at 56 x 43 cm.

Compare this image to the work by photographers like Man Ray, Maurice Tabard or Daidō Moriyama. The immense variety of photographic styles is the starting point for Jack Davison’s diverse oeuvre. For example, inspired by surrealism, Davison likes to play with the boundaries between reality and illusion. Is this image the result of double exposure, is the model holding a mirror, or is Davison using photo montage? What this photograph actually shows remains unclear. Davison’s work is full of research and play, for which he constantly uses different cameras and techniques, styles and genres. What he enjoys are exactly the ‘unfamiliar’ and ‘uncontrollable’ elements of this approach. Davison is unafraid to mix styles and forms, producing images without getting trapped in any homogenous style. 

Untitled, 2012. London, UK from the series Personal Work, 2006-2016

Untitled, 2012. London, UK.

Created by Jack Davison in 2015. The artwork is mounted on PVC and displayed at 53 x 43 cm.

What is probably just a randomly composed street scene – a red traffic light with an advertisement banner in the background – is transformed by the dark context into an abstract composition in which the elements lose their original meaning. It gives 

 a collage-like appearance. In his work, photographer Jack Davison often draws on the historical canon of photography. This image is reminiscent of the abstract works created by iconic photographers like Ernst Haas or Saul Leiter. It is typical for Davison to use a wide variety of cameras. This particular photo was made with a Nikon D800, which is a digital mirror reflex camera. For other images he used for instance an analogue Mamiya RB67, a medium-format camera, and even an iPhone. 

Untitled, 2015. New York, USA from the series Personal work, 2006-2016

Untitled, 2015. New York, USA.

Created by Jack Davison in 2015. The artwork is mounted on PVC and displayed at 56,5 x 43 cm.

In this photograph, the subject’s back towers above us because of the low vantage point chosen by Jack Davison. The rain drops streaming down along the coat gain an almost dramatic quality, an effect reinforced by the lack of colour. The image therefore exudes a certain gloominess, even though we cannot see the face. Due to the minimalist composition and the choice for black-and-white, our eye is drawn to small details. See for instance the contrast between the wet and dry garment, the way the raindrops glisten as they slide down, and how the light falls across the creases in the coat. Davidson’s oeuvre is a journey through the history of photography, from avant-gardist experiments to objective documentation, and from early 20th-century portraiture to conceptual studies. 

Untitled, 2015. Kelso, Scotland from the series Personal work, 2006-2016

Untitled, 2015. Kelso, Scotland.

Created by Jack Davison in 2016. The artwork is mounted on PVC and displayed at 51 x 43 cm.

What catches your eye when strolling through a city? Do you mainly look at people, or the traffic, or the buildings? As a self-taught photographer, Jack Davison started carrying a camera to photograph his surrounding from the age of 15. He learned about the history of photography and the many different genres and styles on the internet, which forms a permanent source of inspiration for his work. Although Davison shoots in both black-and-white and colour, his colour photographs are often dominated by bright and lively colours, combined with sharp contrasts between light and shade. In 

 the viewer is not only intrigued by the combination of colours and shaded areas, but also by the variety of shapes and textures.  

Untitled, 2016. Kerala, India from the series Personal work, 2006-2016

Untitled, 2016. Kerala, India. 2

Created by Jack Davison in 2016. The artwork is mounted on PVC and displayed at 43 x 43 cm.

Ever since he was young, Davison has had a strong interest in literature and art. Much of his work is inspired in one way or another by the historical canon of photography. Which genre or school might have inspired this image, 

? Due to the short distance between the camera lens and the model, the viewer is brought up very close to the subject’s skin: we can see the individual eyelash and eyebrow hairs, as well as the tiny capillaries on the eyelid. The prickly fruit clashes with the dreamy image of the closed eye and recalls the surrealist photography from the 1920s and 30s, for instance by Man Ray. This work was part of the exhibition 

, from which several works are included in the Foam collection.  Davidson’s oeuvre is a journey through the history of photography, from avant-gardist experiments to objective documentation, and from early 20th-century portraiture to conceptual studies. 

artworks