Photographer Nicole Segers and I edited her latest book Encounters along the Bosporus together, which will be published coming February by Lemniscaat Publishers. Besides the book publication, Modern Art Museum De Kunsthal in Rotterdam presents this work in an exhibition to open on 23 January 2010. Check out additional information on the exhibition here
Starting 8 January 2010, I will be teaching a Visual Identity Course at the renowned Paris Photographic Institute Spéos.
This class aims at encouraging the students to express their personality and sensitivity via a clearly defined and coherent body of work. The idea is to provide them with the tools to discuss and analyze their photographs as well as those of their fellow students, to give constructive criticism using the basic rules of composition as well as their own sense of aesthetics.
The work of classical and contemporary photographers – famous and on the margins – will be analyzed, so as to better understand how images are constructed and made more efficient.
For more information on the school and its great programme (both in Paris and Dubai), check out the website: www.speos.fr
Today opens in the City Hall of Amsterdam an exhibition I designed for photographer Geert Snoeijer, on the Holland Society of New York.
These portraits by Dutch photographer Geert Snoeijer do something special with time and space. We see men from today’s USA who are connected with Holland in a distant past. These men are all male descendents from the first inhabitants of the Dutch settlement in the New World, New Amsterdam, now New York. Their names remind us of that Dutch descent.
The way the photographer has portrayed these men, reinforces the tension between then and now and between there and here: the pictures of these very contemporary men remind us of old paintings of the Dutch Masters: stately, in clair obscure, complete with status symbol. You see and understand immediately: these men are rich, powerful, successful: they represent the historical connection of today’s America with its founders.
By knowing that the portrayed have Dutch blood, their power, their success reflects even just a little on us, the Dutch. Looking at these pictures, these paintings, one hopes to find the Dutch Soul, and to discover “the Dutchman” in these portraits.
But, as Princess Máxima of the Netherlands already ascertained a few years ago: the Dutch Soul, a singular Dutch Identity does not exist. And it is certainly not to be found in these portraits of descendants of the founders of New Amsterdam. The Dutch blood in their veins is diluted through the generations. There is nowhere in the portraits anything in sight of what makes a Dutchman a Dutchman. Except that name. And that history. The successes of America – those of the country and its people – are in no way attributable to the Netherlands. What remains is an illusion: a non-existing relationship between the Netherlands and the United States of America, kept alive by both Americans and Dutch who crave to be part of each other’s impressive history.
And that is the real power of these beautiful portraits: one continues to look at them. One keeps looking for that illusion.
Marc Prüst
I’m proud and happy to announce a new association between myself and the international development agency Rhubarb-Rhubarb:
Marc Prüst is our new associate, based in Paris. He’s an editor-advisor for photographers and photography project manager.
Rhubarb-Rhubarb is working with a loose association of specialists around the world, all of whom are advising photographers and managing exhibition, commissioning or publishing projects. Firstly we have linked up with David Birkitt from DMB Media, who is working alongside Rhubarb in London and on his own management company. This month we would like to introduce you to Our Man In Paris – Marc Prüst.. editor-advisor for photographers and photography project manager.
Check out the news posting on Rhubarb’s website here
I look forward to the exciting opportunities this new venture will bring!
Update 10 December: Registration for this December event is now closed . Please check back for similar portfolio review sessions in early 2010.
Lens Culture is pleased to announce a new program of portfolio reviews in Paris. Emerging and established photographers will present their work in formal, one-to-one meetings with four experts in the world of photography during this one-day portfolio review on Tuesday 15 December.
The reviewers come from diverse backgrounds (photojournalism, fine art photography, magazine and book publishing, physical and online galleries, business consultants, online marketing expertise) and can supply creative feedback and practical advice to photographers who wish to advance their careers.
Registration includes four 20-minute private review sessions, one with each of the four reviewers, plus ample opportunity for all of the photographers to share their work and insights with the other participating photographers. A generous group lunch is included, as well as coffee and refreshments during the day.
Registration is limited to the first 12 photographers to sign up. The fee for the whole day is 200 euros.
THE REVIEWERS:
Dimitri Beck is editor-in-chief of the photojournalism review Polka magazine, (www.polkamagazine.com), based in Paris. Dimitri Beck directed for over two years in Afghanistan the agency Aina Photo and Les Nouvelles de Kaboul, an illustrated news magazine in French and English. Previous to this he was editor-in-chief of Reza’s photo agency Webistan, and notably has completed numerous reportages in central Asia and the Caucasus as an independent journalist. Dimitri has been a journalist since 1998.
Klavdij Sluban is a photographer based in Paris. In 2009, he won the European Publishers Award for Photography, for his book Transsibériades. The book, from publishers ActesSud, appeared simultaneously in five European countries in October. An exhibition of photographs from the new book is showing at Galerie Taiss in Paris until 23 December 2009. Sluban conducts numerous photography workshops around the world, and is the recipient of many grants and artists residencies. See www.sluban.com and www.lensculture.com/sluban-video.
Marc Prüst is a photography consultant specializing in editorial and marketing advice for photographers. He worked as head of the exhibition department at World Press Photo in Amsterdam. In 2005, Marc collaborated with with curator Christian Caujolle and editor Chris Boot on the exhibition and the award winning publication celebrating World Press Photo’s 50th anniversary: Things As They Are: 50 Years of Photo Journalism in Context. In early 2007, he became Director of Cultural Activities at Agence VU’ in Paris. In 2009, he created his own business as an independent advisor to photographers and curator of photography exhibitions worldwide, www.marcprust.com.
Jim Casper is editor and publisher of Lens Culture (www.lensculture.com), an online magazine about contemporary photography. Lens Culture celebrates all genres of photography, and attracts more than 8,000 unique readers each day from all over the globe. Several photographers whose work has been featured in Lens Culture have since earned book and magazine publishing contracts, editorial assignments, art gallery representation, and more. Casper writes and lectures about contemporary photography, and participates in portfolio reviews around the world. He is founder of the Lens Culture International Exposure Awards.
World Press Photo is accepting entries for its annual competition. I will be submitting on behalf of photographers who need help with their edits and selections. If you need some help in selecting and editing your work, I can provide help and guidance.
Just received book UP by photographer Vincent Dekkers. Nice to see how small advice and some good thinking can lead to a cool project!
In cooperation with the photographer, I’m now preparing exhibition launch on 14 December 2009 at Amsterdam City Hall: The Holland Society of New York, Portraits by Geert Snoeijer
