Punctum

Cocoon. Our country is in lockdown and the world is in turmoil. Nevertheless, working from home feels strangely comfortable and pleasant though. A perfect balance in the midst of chaos. Awaiting the change. Kloosterburen/Surhuisterveen, the Netherlan — Cocoon. Our country is in lockdown and the world is in turmoil. Nevertheless, working from home feels strangely comfortable and pleasant though. A perfect balance in the midst of chaos. Awaiting the change. Kloosterburen/Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2018-2020).

Between heaven and earth. How to deal with change? When in doubt, just do it! It’s the main lesson I learnt from 17 years of playing improv theater, improvising on the stage without a script. It taught me to let go, treading forward without knowing w — Between heaven and earth. How to deal with change? When in doubt, just do it! It’s the main lesson I learnt from 17 years of playing improv theater, improvising on the stage without a script. It taught me to let go, treading forward without knowing where I will end up. Scary indeed. Swanage, UK (2017) / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2020).

Interference. Both my photographic and scientific work focus on the balance between order and chaos, and how it changes as a function of time. I observe the change, and by connecting the dots, I quietly change along. For better or for worse. Den Ande — Interference. Both my photographic and scientific work focus on the balance between order and chaos, and how it changes as a function of time. I observe the change, and by connecting the dots, I quietly change along. For better or for worse. Den Andel / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2016-2020).

Skyfall. Treasuring the good things in life, I often feel resistance to change. I’m eager to keep control at all times, both as a photographer, a scientist, and as a person. Without a place for chaos though, there would be no room for spontaneity and — Skyfall. Treasuring the good things in life, I often feel resistance to change. I’m eager to keep control at all times, both as a photographer, a scientist, and as a person. Without a place for chaos though, there would be no room for spontaneity and discovery. In a world of climate change, crumpling democracies, and covid-19, I cling to that thought. Orciano Pisano, Italy (2018) / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2020).

Consolation. This is the fur of the sheep my mother talked to on her daily walk in times of corona. After the loss of my father, she’s trying hard to make the best of it. I try to call her every day, the sheep is no longer there. Oostburg / Surhuiste — Consolation. This is the fur of the sheep my mother talked to on her daily walk in times of corona. After the loss of my father, she’s trying hard to make the best of it. I try to call her every day, the sheep is no longer there. Oostburg / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2020).

Forbidden fruit. How can something so pure and beautiful be dangerous to photograph? It pains my heart that social media and privacy laws have made it extremely tricky to photograph children, even my own. It just feels wrong. Manarola, Italy (2019) / — Forbidden fruit. How can something so pure and beautiful be dangerous to photograph? It pains my heart that social media and privacy laws have made it extremely tricky to photograph children, even my own. It just feels wrong. Manarola, Italy (2019) / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2020).

Consequences. Another development that upsets me is that people nowadays seem to have little respect for authority and knowledge. I vividly remember the choice of punishment that I was given by my parents after stealing from the candy cabinet, and ho — Consequences. Another development that upsets me is that people nowadays seem to have little respect for authority and knowledge. I vividly remember the choice of punishment that I was given by my parents after stealing from the candy cabinet, and how that formed my conscience. Actions have consequences. Deal with it. Haren / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2017-2020).

The sound of silence. Sometimes, the world seems to come to a hold, for instance during a warm summer evening. When the sun is down but it is still pleasantly warm, the air seems saturated with mysticism and magic. The crickets are silent, and so is — The sound of silence. Sometimes, the world seems to come to a hold, for instance during a warm summer evening. When the sun is down but it is still pleasantly warm, the air seems saturated with mysticism and magic. The crickets are silent, and so is time. Castiglioncello, Italy (2018) / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2020).

Forcefield. The summer holiday has always formed the emotional highlight of the year for me. Time, the day of the week, whether we turn left or right; it simply doesn’t matter anymore. A perfect balance between control and exploration, between order — Forcefield. The summer holiday has always formed the emotional highlight of the year for me. Time, the day of the week, whether we turn left or right; it simply doesn’t matter anymore. A perfect balance between control and exploration, between order and chaos. Lorenzana, Italy (2018) / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2020).

Perfect imperfection. The country whose food, culture, and landscape currently touches my heart the most is Italy. It seems to incorporate a perfect balance between decline and innovation, forming a gateway between the past and future, resulting in a — Perfect imperfection. The country whose food, culture, and landscape currently touches my heart the most is Italy. It seems to incorporate a perfect balance between decline and innovation, forming a gateway between the past and future, resulting in a beauty that is hard to match. I missed it this summer. Terricciola, Italy (2018) / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2020).

Concert of time. We went to Germany last summer and stayed in a house, adorned by this cuckoo clock. It reminded me of my grandparents’ house, that used to be littered with clocks. Despite treating us with a cacophony every half hour, time seemed to — Concert of time. We went to Germany last summer and stayed in a house, adorned by this cuckoo clock. It reminded me of my grandparents’ house, that used to be littered with clocks. Despite treating us with a cacophony every half hour, time seemed to tick by extremely slowly. The German clock didn’t have the same effect. Horschhausen, Germany (2020) / Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2020).

Sweet agony. How can something that seems to bring nothing but chaos have such an elegant appearance? Similarly, of course I’m troubled by the catastrophic corona-crisis, yet it has also caused me to stop rushing about in the morning, working from th — Sweet agony. How can something that seems to bring nothing but chaos have such an elegant appearance? Similarly, of course I’m troubled by the catastrophic corona-crisis, yet it has also caused me to stop rushing about in the morning, working from the comfort of my home, spending much more time with the children. As if we’re in the eye of a storm, there is an undeniable beauty to that temporary state of being, feeling awkwardly pleasant. Surhuisterveen, the Netherlands (2010-2020).

C-prints on alu-dibond, 90 x 60, edition of 10.

My head, my desk, my work; it’s all stuck in a continuous battle between order and chaos. Confronted with a world that constantly alternates between order and chaos, time laughs at me. Every moment of happiness seems to come with a promise of impending change, which frequently spooks me out. In a year that was full of change, it was time to make up the balance. Like a quantum computer that can describe two orthogonal states (0 or 1) simultaneously, I tried to outsmart time by merging the opposing states of order and chaos into my digital work using cyanotypes, an analog technique from 1842.
Mijn hoofd, mijn bureau, mijn werk; het zit allemaal vast in een voortdurende strijd tussen orde en chaos. Geconfronteerd met een wereld die voortdurend wisselt tussen orde en chaos, lacht de tijd me uit. Elk moment van geluk lijkt gepaard te gaan met een belofte van naderende verandering, wat me vaak afschrikt. In een jaar vol verandering was het tijd om de balans op te maken. Net als een kwantumcomputer die twee orthogonale toestanden (0 of 1) tegelijkertijd kan beschrijven, probeerde ik de tijd te slim af te zijn door de tegengestelde toestanden van orde en chaos samen te voegen in mijn digitale werk met behulp van cyanotypes, een analoge techniek uit 1842.
B&W PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD 2020
“...I really love these images that have a visceral and tactile feel to them. They each feel like a vignette of a life experience or a subtle detail that is often missed in the journey. Lovely work!”
— Anonymous industry professional