Biography
Hi, My name is Erik. 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.
"A few years ago, I was a musician, playing guitar and singing the songs I wrote. My goal is to use my photography to transfer emotion on a similar level as music can (think this will be very difficult, but it is a good ambition...).

I construct my images with elements from the real world. Like a set builder, but without moving the pieces and without any staging. I work with what is there-the everyday-because I want to stay close to the reality. It is that reality that includes everything already.
When I was about 20 years old, two things happened that influenced my view of the world and how I photograph. Through my studies, I came into contact with the philosophy of 'relativism' and at the same period, my mother died.
From then on, I became fascinated by 'the hustle and bustle of man'. We build, create, work. We 'struggle' day in and day out, through all times. We are pursuing identities and want to be seen; to be relevant.
But why, really? Where does it lead? They are frantic attempts to make sense of it all, knowing that everything will perish anyway. We know this deep inside, we sometimes feel it.
I capture it, show it. And the ambiguous thing is that for me, this recording is also an attempt to make sense of it.
I do so because it supports me in my own 'battle' with impermanence. I look for that motif around me, I can see it in the subjects I photograph.
I feel a lot of sympathy for these things and people and give it a platform.
It is actually Cervantes' story of Don Quixote that I am coming to understand and appreciate more and more...
Education
2015 - 2018
1988 - 1992
Photo Academy Amsterdam
Dutch and International Law, Nijmegen
Awards & Shortlisted
2023
2021
2019
2019
2017
2016
Editors Pick LENS CULTURE International Portraits Award 2023
Longlisted DUTCH NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY/RABO PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT PRICE
Arnhem Award 'Een Goed Boek 2019', CASA + OPA
ARLES Photofestival Voies Off 2019: 'Emerging European Talents'
100 New Dutch Talent, GUP/NIKON
Selected Photogram, Amsterdam
Exhibitions
2023
2022
2021
2021
2020
2020
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2018
EXPO 'Hier Ben Ik', Rozet Arnhem
EXPO 'Wij Zijn De Stad', Rozet Arnhem
International Photofestival Leiden
FotoFestival Naarden
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
2022
2021
2021
2021
2021
2021
2021
2021
2020
2020
2020
2019
2019
CHIP PHOTO MAGAZINE
Picture This, artist talk
NPO RADIO 1, VPRO Bureau Buitenland
NPO Radio 1, Nieuws&Co, NTR NOS
'Zorg & Welzijn Magazine
Pf Magazine (article on printing technique Playground 2020)
Dutch national newspaper NRC Handelsblad "elke stoeprand een skatebaan"
FOCUS MAGAZINE "Playground 2020"
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'
2019
Article in KIEKIE Magazine, 'from the inside'
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2016
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