Biography
My name is Erik van Cuyk. I live in Arnhem, a Dutch medium-sized city near the German border. I once graduated as a lawyer but after a few wanderings I chose photography.
I picked up the camera somewhere in 2014. Pretty soon after that some of my travel images where published in the Aer Lingus inflight Magazine. That encouraged me to take a professional direction as a photographer.
In december 2018 I graduated from the Photo Academy in Amsterdam.
"I focus on things that I think are not sufficiently portrayed. It feels like an injustice that they are not properly seen. I work in the tradition of Democracy Photographers"
I just try to get connected with my environment. Real deep connection, on the emotional level. I miss that in daily life, and therefore I sometimes even feel lonely. We all are too busy working out our myths and identities. I try to poke through that with my eyes and lens. I want people to feel when looking at my images, feeling an emotion before the thinking starts.
Education
2015 - 2018
1988 - 1992
Photo Academy Amsterdam
Dutch and International Law, Nijmegen
Awards & Shortlisted
2020
2019
2019
2017
2016
Selected for Internatonal Photo Festival Leiden 2020
Arnhem Award 'Een Goed Boek 2019', CASA + OPA
ARLES Photofestival Voies Off 2019
100 New Dutch Talent, GUP/NIKON
Selected Photogram, Amsterdam
Exhibitions
2020
2020
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2018
Eindhoven City & Library 'Embrace Freedom'
Rijnwijk book Part of MARTIN PARR COLLECTION Tate Gallery, London
Marrakech Photofestival Voies Off 2019
Book publication UNSEEN Amsterdam 2019
ARLES Photofestival Voies Off 2019
ESPY Photo, Elysium Swansea, Wales (UK)
Expo Museum Hilversum
Expo 'LUCID' Loods 6 Amsterdam
Rotterdam Photo Festival
Media
2020
2020
2020
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2016
Podcast 'Embrace Freedom', RARARADIO Eindhoven
Article Dutch newspaper 'Eindhovens Dagblad' on project 'Embrace Freedom'
Publication 'Kijken', Dutch newspaper De Gelderlander
Publication SHUTR Magazine, project 'Boyman'
Review FOCUS Magazine, project 'Rijnwijk'
Article in KIEKIE Magazine, 'from the inside'
Review PHOTOBOOKJOURNAL
Interview, article BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Publication series 'Rijnwijk My Neighborhood' & Interview in Sprank Magazine
Publication portrait 'Ferry Mingelen' in ANBO Magazine
Publication & interview in Dutch newspaper 'De Gelderlander'
Publication series 'Connemara park' in CARA Inflight Aer Lingus