NEWS

Attended the Fotofestival Naarden 2019 held in multiple locations of the gorgeous Naarden vesting. An occasion to see the work of some refreshing photographers, like Thijs Wolzak who took pictures of people in their living environments. Weird, unusual, funny, astonishing, as the people in general can be.

A very unusual exhibition at the Rotterdam Kunsthal: The Anarchist Citizenship: Ode to Youthful Daredevils gives us an insight on on the young Somalilanders, inhabitants of Somaliland, dress and behave in their country. The installation consists of juxtapositions of photos printed on silk and plexiglass. They move with the air being displaced as we walk through it. The project is a collaboration between Amal Alhaag and Nadine Stijns.

Well known for his black and white photographs taken in Amsterdam and Paris in the 50’s, Ed van der Elsken also took throughout his life a large amount of pictures in colour on slides predominantly in the 60’s and 70’s. The fotomuseum in Rotterdam restored these pictures to their original glory. The result is a magnificent ode to life and love and a touching homage to human diversity. From Amsterdam to Dhaka, from Cuba to Tokyo, Ed van der Elsken shows his profoundly humane eye and sincere love for people. The large collection of photographs is presented in a buoyant way, as a celebration of humanity.

Coup de ❤️ for the photos of Alejandro Cegarra, an extraordinary young (29) photojournalist from Venezuela, featured at the 2019 World Press Photo exhibition. His series “State of Decay” got him am award for Long-term projects. The Venezuelan society has been in a long state of decay, degrading day after day under Chávez and now Maduro with no sense of an outcome, happy or else. We see it every day on TV and then zap to some other news. The people of Venezuela suffer it day after day, with violence, deprivation, tears, political chaos, No way for them to zap from this daily nightmare and move on to something better. Cegarra has documented over the years this violence from within and brought back powerful pictures of an unimaginable turmoil with a divided society of ordinary people rising up to the occasion or not.

More on his website

The world press photo edition 2019 is upon us. The exhibition is presented in the beautiful Nieuwe Kerk on the Dam in Amsterdam. As usual, our eyes are confronted with a sum of misery, tears, blood, human suffering, absurdity, mal treatment of women and children. But yet, these are the best photographs of events and people around the world. My good friend Thierry calls it “the horror of the world that feeds the photojournalists“. This horror is relentless but, once in a while, there is some hope, like this picture by Iranian photographer Enayat Asadi of illegal refugees waiting to take a ride on a wagon at the eastern border of Iran and where one of the immigrants is comforting his companion. A simple image showing two human beings helping each other.

The Deutsche Börse art collection comprises approximately 1800 works from over 120 international photographers, including famous names like Diane Arbus or Walker Evans. FOAM in Amsterdam proposes a large exhibition “Changing Views – 20 Years of Art Collection Deutsche Börse“. The first part of this exhibition in four parts is titled “Chapter 1: Germany” and shows the view of their own country by various German photographers.

Everlasting coup de ❤️ for the photos of Ed van der Elsken, this time, spotted on the walls of the AMC hospital in Amsterdam. Ed van der Elsken was extremely active in the years 50 and 60 and at the top of his art, both in Amsterdam and Paris, but also later on in Japan. I associate his black and white photographs of Paris and Amsterdam with the nostalgia I have for a world that does not exist anymore, for a moment of my life and a period of time that will never be back. A world where life appeared simpler, where happiness was within reach, where artists were gathering to reinvent the world permanently, where a laughter, a glass of wine, an animated discussion with a good friend could make your whole day. Of course, the 50’s and 60’s were also full of pain and drama, wars and misery but what’s left behind now from that era, apart from the History with a big H, is the humanist approach to everyday life.

Itinerrands playing it iconic, in front of MBS, thanks to Susan.

… and finish with some collages by students – a collection of hybrid icons.

A visit in London would not be complete without spending some time at the Saatchi gallery, looking at the bizarre pictures of Jessica Craig-Martin.

In a day rich of visual wonder, strolling through the photographic collection of the V&A Museum.

Taking the opportunity of being in Tate Britain, discovering a Czech-born photographer and her portraits of people in their everyday lives.

A fantastic comprehensive exhibition of Don McCullin at Tate Britain in London. An oeuvre spanning over several decades and all the continents. Don McCullin has been everywhere with his profoundly human eye. No one can put it better than himself “Photography for me is not looking. it is feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures”. I am glad I was able to be there.

Itinerrands taking an olympic walk on the shores of Marina Bay in Singapore, thanks to Susan.

Lost paradise, haunted places, souvenirs of past battles, a reflection of age and death, Sally Mann explores in this exhibit the Deep South of the USA.

Visited a small scale exhibition of young Latino talents at the Houston Center for Photography. “Photography at its limits” explores “the regimes of power that have naturalised and popularised the use of the photograph as a means of tracking and controlling the world at large”…

Itinerrands on a nostalgic trip to Chaville, France, the town where I grew up. Merci beaucoup Evelyne pour ta contribution discrète à cette période.

Just for Facebook, because nudity in Art is not acceptable to them (but genocide seems to be), a link to my website page to signal this interesting exhibit at the Sieboldhuis in Leiden.

The Sieboldhuis in Leiden was purchased by Ph.F.B. Von Siebold (1796-1866) to exhibit his collection of Japanese objects. it is now a foundation established “to further express the long and special ties between the Netherlands and Japan”. There was a new occasion to visit this special place during the recently opened photo exhibition titles “Japaans naakt” or “Japanese Nudes”.

Coup de ❤️ today for Pearl Gan, a Singapore photographer and dear friend who recently published her new website. Pearl describes herself as a storyteller who tells stories with her images. She was heavily involved in the Asia Malaria project with the University of Oxford, which described the damages of malaria in Asian populations. She loves to get close to the people she photographs, capture them in their day to day activities, get to know them and their stories. I particularly enjoy her black and white portraits, but not only…

Coup de ❤️ today for Anette Brolenius discovered at the Cobra Museum of Modern Art. Anette was born in Stockholm and now lives in The Hague. Her serie of portraits of women’s rights activists, male or female in the exhibition “Unsung” are just stunning. More on her photography can be discovered on her website.

Kati Horna, Eva Besnyö and Ata Kandó are three photographers who studied under the then famous photographer József Pécsi in Hungary. They were not as widely known as their male contemporaries and compatriots Brassaï, Robert Capa and André Kertész. All three were forced to flee Hungary in the 1930s. They all settled in different places (Mexico for Horna, The Netherlands for Besnyö and Kandó) and continued to exercise their art in their new home. The beautiful Cobra Museum of Modern Art in Amstelveen devotes a large space to all three in a huge exhibition around Kati Horna mainly “Kati Horna, Compassion and Engagement”.

A very bizarre, well-visited exhibit in the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague: a large retrospective of Erwin Olaf’s work for his 60th birthday. Olaf is a famous Dutch photographer. Most pictures cannot be shown here. Not my cup of tea as we say in French, but still worth the visit for education purposes mainly.

An unusual photo exhibit at the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam: the German troops invading Holland on May 10th, 1940 took photographs as if they were mere tourists. This must have been a walk in the park for them…

A strange exhibition at the Nederlands Fotomuseum of Rotterdam. An installation by Alfredo Jaar based on a photo of Koen Wessing taken in Nicaragua during the last days of the Somoza regime. The exhibit continues with a series of chilling photos from The coup of September 11st, 1973 in Santiago. The famous photos of blind military repression haven’t aged at all and are still very vivid.

Coup de ❤️ today for Merel Schoneveld, a young street photographer from The Hague, discovered during the Haute Photographie Rotterdam 2019. Her black and white pictures, taken mainly in The Netherlands, show a very diverse population, living together in this old country, in their day-to-day interaction with each other. Merel is among them, discreet but yet very present and engaged in their lives. She discovered this passion for photography very late in her young life and has created a large body of work to this date, all visible on her web site and instagram accounts. Merel’s web site can be seen here and instagram feed there.

Fourth edition of this salon/exhibition, during Art Rotterdam Week 2019. Younger and older talents are presented by International galleries. The prices are exorbitant but the photographs worth admiring. I have extracted some of the gems I particularly enjoyed.

Without knowing it, some places and attitudes shared with Martine Frank…

Robert Doisneau spent a lot of time photographing musicians and singers. Maurice Baquet and his cello of course, but also the famous singers from the 1950’s to today. A sweet and nostalgic trip down memory lane at Cité de la Musique in Paris.

A wonderful Martine Frank exhibit at the newly moved Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson in the heart of Paris.

Saskia van der Linden, a local photographer, took amusing pictures of famous Noordwijker in poses from famous paintings. Where different arts meet. A small scale exhibit is currently held in Grand Hotel Huis Ter Duin.

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has a rich collection of photographs but those are timidly presented in a remote corner of the vast museum.

The Dutch Café by a young photographer Stacii Samidin at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. A celebration of the Dutch diversity in a historical place.

Itinerrands taking a stroll in the heartland of Singapore in Toa Payoh. Thank you Chen Ee for your kind efforts!

More to read: https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/12/29/david-chim-seymour-photographs-to-change-the-world/

Itinerrands on Sentosa Island in Singapore. Back to where it came from. Thank You Susan!

Itinerrands is visiting a Grand Dame in Paris, France – Merci Pascal!

An article in Le Monde about HCB’s more intimate pictures.

Itinerrands invites itself at the court of the Sun King in Versailles, thanks to Pascal.

Meeting Jimmy Nelson (and Stephanie van der Wiel) for his massive book “Homage to Humanity”. An excellent initiative by Boekhandel van der Meer in Noordwijk

Itinerrands taking a ride on the back of the Da Nang Dragon Bridge. Thanks Hannah and Karin.

A sweet thought from a very dear friend. Thank You Karin.

Dutch photographer Cas Oorthuys has left behind a huge amount of photographs taken around the world depicting the people and their environment. A humanist like Robert Doisneau, he deserves to be better recognised as such. The exhibit at the Nederland Fotomuseum in Rotterdam is worth a visit.

“Itinerrands” like 50% of the inhabitants of Toronto was not born in Canada. A good reason to enjoy the Indian Summer there… Thank You Leona!

“Itinerrands” marching under the fortress of Namur, Belgium, on the tune of “Sambre et Meuse”. Merci Nathalie & Clara!

“Itinerrands” taking the British sun on the banks of river Thames, just before Brexit. Merci Patrick.

“Itinerrands” reaching for the stars at NASA’s Johnson Space Center near Houston, TX, in front of the Saturn V rocket. Thank You Richard.

“Itinerrands” taking a stroll along the Ohio River with Downtown Pittsburgh in the background. Thank You Jack.

My book “Itinerrands” taking a walk near Jackson Square, New Orleans, LA. Thank You Ian.

7th edition of Unseen Amsterdam this weekend in a magical place, the Westergasfabriek in the Westerpark. Plenty for the eyes, on the walls and around. This year, some remarkable Japanese young artists were featured in the Beyond 2020 exhibit.

Kenta Nakamura – Your Story

Today at AMC, a small exhibit by artist Sujata Majumdar “Surface Tension”. Human-made landscapes on walls and elsewhere shot from close-by. An approach close to that of the “ready-made”.

While visiting the Frans Hals museum in Haarlem, stumbled upon some beautiful portraits of Dutch people by Koos Breukel, a photographer born in The Hague.

Pieter van den Blink and his father

Detail

More on http://koosbreukel.com

A fantastic exhibit in The Hague: Alphons Hustinx – A Traveller’s Perspective. Photos taken in 1932 during a road trip with a friend from Maastricht to Kabul. Additional colour photos taken during the German occupation of The Netherlands

The two first photos are mine!

A fantastic series by Alain Frachon and Michel Guerrin on a fantastic photographer in Le Monde – worth reading!

One of my photographs has found a new home in Houston, Tx, thanks to Deborah.

The full article can be found here

https://www.huismarseille.nl/en/

A surreal series of photographs taken by Dutch photographer Eddo Hartmann in Pyongyang. Setting the stage of a theater play where the inhabitants of Pyongyang are the unwilling actors of the show. The contrast with the in 1665 built Huis Marseille is stunning.

A very nice story… falling in love with a photograph and recognising its author for what he is: a true artist.

I am very proud to announce that Mr. Lui Hock Seng’s artistic talent  will be recognised in a solo exhibition starting on February 8th, 2018 at Objectifs – Centre for Photography and Film in Singapore.

All Photos © Mr. Lui Hock Seng

More information: https://www.objectifs.com.sg/passing-time/

A small scale exhibit of Dutch photographer Peter Martens in Crooswijk, Rotterdam. Beautiful pictures taken in the USA and The Netherlands. A nice walk to the place by a wonderful “Indian Summer” day.

Visiting the Peter Hujar exhibit at Den Haag Foto Museum. Active in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s until his death in 1987, Peter Hujar took pictures of his contemporaries, like Susan Sontag and William Burroughs.

Another exhibit left a vivid memory in our minds: the repetitive pictures of Hans Eijkelboom. He took hundreds of pictures of people in the streets of European cities, matching them on clothes patterns or types. Here the green loden.

Visiting again the Sebastião Salgado exhibit Genesis in Rotterdam is like visiting an old friend… no need to recap, no need to catch up, it is well known territory, immediate understanding and the same awe is there! We can continue where we left it, one year ago, in Singapore. Marvellous setup, breath-taking pictures, really worth the trip. From Africa to Antarctica, from North America to Asia, Salgado’s Genesis pictures have something biblical about them. Our Earth and their inhabitants are just amazing and we should be reminded of that constantly.

Very big Bruce Davidson exhibit at the Nederlands Fotomusuem in Rotterdam. Pictures from the 50’s to the recent years, from New York to Paris. The famous pictures from his most famous series, from East 100th Street, to Brooklyn Gang, to Paris, to Los Angeles. The social struggles in the USA in the last 50 years. Nothing much has changed today.

A workshop organised by Glenn. 4 of my photographs have been used for his folder.

Unseen Amsterdam is “the leading platform for contemporary photography”. Unseen Amsterdam was returning for its sixth edition at the beautifully rehabilitated Westergasfabriek this weekend. A beautiful vivid show of photographs, combined with a superb Autumn Dutch weather.

More details: www.unseenamsterdam.com

Pearl is a compassionate photographer. She is able to establish contact with her models and take the most natural compelling pictures of men, women and children in various Asian countries. The Asia Malaria Images Exhibition will be held between 2 – 29 September 2017 at the Promenade Level 8 of the National Library Singapore, 100 Victoria Street, Singapore 188064

A very interesting trip through the Hong Kong of 1950 – Photos © Lee Fok Chee

This German artist visited China many times to shoot pictures and films. The retrospective put together by NTU Centre for Contemporary Art at Gillman Barracks is just spectacular and worth a visit.

Photo Courtesy of the Singapore Land Authority

Photo Courtesy of the Singapore Land Authority

The Black & White houses remain a fascinating topic for the expats in Singapore. History, architecture, style attract the people from overseas to these very special Singapore houses. I had the opportunity to help the French La Gazette team illustrate a series of articles about the Black & White houses. The result of this work was published in the July-September 2017 La Gazette magazine.

Photos © Alison Schooling

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© Albert Sim

Marie-Pierre made the event possible. Thanks to her vision and guidance, the result was fantastic and beyond my own expectations.

Albert is a quiet photographer of a few words but he knows how to look at people in the eyes. it is actually his job to take pictures of people’s eyes for ophthalmologic purposes. In his free times, Albert takes pictures for himself.

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Photos © Albert Sim

© Albert Sim

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Photos © Albert Sim

The success of the book is due to the wonderful graphic work of two awesome ladies: Sarah Tang and Alison Schooling of Sarah And Schooling

© Albert Sim

Photos © Gerda Genty-de Witt

Thanks to SLA (Singapore Land Authority), I have been allowed to go shoot pictures in three distinct empty black and white houses in Adam Park. An opportunity not given to everyone! I am very blessed and thankful to SLA.

Photos © Gerda Genty de Witt

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Go check the portfolio here

Taking care of the living by caring for the dead: a visit to a cemetery is always a good way to determine that…

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Go check the portfolio here

“Clarke Quay’s Teochew Market in 1961” has been awesomely framed by GS Art at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1. I am blessed.

The website works again after its looooong migration from Singapore to France!

The next step will be to modernise it as a 3 year old site is a very very old site in internet terms…

A bit of wisdom and a zest of calm are required.

Everything started when reading the following article in the Straitstimes:

http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/office-cleaner-with-a-passion-for-photography

Mr. Lui Hock Seng is a 80 year old Singaporean cleaner with a special talent: photographer. He has been recording life in Singapore with his camera since the early 60’s. A raw artistic talent and a tremendous historical value, and yet, totally unknown to the public!

I reached out to Venessa Lee, the author of the article, and to my surprise, she answered. I expressed to her my desire to own a copy of Mr. Lui’s “Clarke Quay’s Teochew Market”… it took a while, but here we are and it is simply gorgeous.

Clarke Quay’s Teochew Market © Lui Hock Seng

Venessa organised the gathering at SPH, Singapore Press Holdings this Thursday. Mr. Lui is a delightful, funny and witty, very modest gentleman and a great artist. He took the time to share with me some of his shots and I encouraged him to sort his negatives, to digitise them and to think about an exhibition of his work in Singapore.

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On my side, I pledged to do my best to help him.

I am now the proud and unique owner in Singapore and elsewhere in the world of a piece by Lui Hock Seng, the hidden wonderful artist!

Mr. Lui is still taking pictures with his brand new Nikon, offered by the Japanese company, and still “looking for the weird and beautiful” as he puts it.