Herman Wouters
photographer
since 2000 I work as a regular contributor to The New York Times, on assignment by the Art, Travel and Foreign desks on features in the Netherlands. I worked for the Dutch national newspaper Trouw and national weekly magazines de Groene Amsterdammer and HP/DeTijd. I was a parttime photo editor for the newspaper de Volkskrant for a few years.
Next to corporate assignments and teaching I now work on more experimental documentary projects in the urban landscape, often resulting in self published zines.
Teacher documentary photography at Fotoacademie Amsterdam.
Worked as a corporate photographer for Luchthaven Schiphol Airport and Wolters Kluwer.
Represented by photo agency ANP/Hollandse Hoogte
Represented by Sandvoort Gallery
Several of my documentary series were awarded with the De Zilveren Camera -Silver Camera Award-, the annual Dutch photo journalism award.
I had 3 nominations in The Photo Book Now Contest 2011, Kyoto Hariban award 2017 finalist
Studied History of Art and Architecture at VU University in Amsterdam and painting at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy of Arts in Amsterdam.
Publications and assignments by: The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, Business Week, Time Magazine, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The Village Voice, Die Zeit, Der Spiegel, Max, Le Monde, The Guardian, GEO, de Groene Amsterdammer, Trouw, HP/De Tijd, Het Financieele Dagblad, De Volkskrant, NRC Handelsblad, De Morgen, KLM, FEM Business, Amerika, Intermediair, Wordt Vervolgd, Het Parool, Elsevier, De Pers, Wegener Dagbladen, De Gelderlander, IDEE, World Press Photo Review, Schipholland, de Psycholoog, Mind Magazine, Hulp (Rode Kruis), Rijnboutt Magazine, Het Danspaleis, Wolters Kluwer.
ARTIST STATEMENT
big events in small nothings
As a documentary photographer I have specialized in photographing the urban landscape.
Topographic photography explores and shows the organization of the social landscape.
At first glance this may look nondescript and even boring, but there is a lot to see.
The ingredients are space, architecture, infrastructure, objects, intended or unintentional human interventions and light.
And preferably a few things that you can't come up with.
Such a photo is not just a document of a place.
It is also the result of research, observation and decision making.
I photograph the urban landscape as a complex whole of contradictions in which all separate fragments play an equally important role.
Sometimes I find a concrete poetry in this "beautiful ugly" landscape that shows how public space is used.
I pay particular attention to where public domain becomes private and vice versa.
Watch the unseen closely: being able to marvel at the mundane,
that's what it comes down to, to be able to see and understand the sign language of the city properly.
To find big events in small nothings.
For me photography is also a pleasure. It is a game where I can test my craft by paying attention to the unseen and impose a new visual order in every picture.
By doing so, I explore the world, explore the medium and explore myself.
As my work is engaged with real life, recorded in a straight way, I consider myself a documentary photographer.
HW
publications (selection)
- 2023 Amsterdam op maandag , Parts of a World
- 2022 Berliner Nachrichten, PO
- 2021 Hortus
- 2020 a few blind spots, the Sun is a Clown,
- 2019 Bar Italia
- 2018 14 unreported observations , Kaai, Tokyo Chome
- 2017 katane, Sunken Boats, finalist Kyoto Hariban award 2017
- 2016 desassossego (Pessoa and Lisbon) , NewDawnPaper
- 2014 everything I know about blue (USA-Canada, The Northern Route)
- 2013 Devotio, Schoolstraat
- 2012 De Brandgang: anarchie bij u achterom, Matt Dings
- 2012 Brandgang
- 2011 3 books nominated Photobook Now Contest:The Fall Show, Mercato Coperto, Made in Taiwan:
- 2011 The New York Times, Slaughter Ban
- 2011 The New York Times, 36 Hours Amsterdam/ Great Homes
- 2010 The New York Times, Dutch Herring/Great Homes Brouwersgracht
- 2010 GUP Magazine, 25 jarigen project Hollandse Hoogte
- 2008/10 HP/De Tijd, portrettenserie “Jonge Jaren”, met Matt Dings,
- 2009 The New York Times, Amsterdam with Kids/ Haarlem/Antwerp Second Hand
- 2009 Schiphol Jaarverslag/Sustainability Report 2008
- 2008 Schiphol Jaarverslag/Sustainability Report 2007
- 2008 The New York Times,Houseboats Amsterdam/Docklands/Begijnhof/RedLight
- 2007 Hans Aarsman, De Aarsman collectie
- 2007 Zilveren Camera, landelijke documentaire series
- 2007 The New York Times, Anne Frank/36 Hours Amsterdam/36 hours Brussels affordable Europe/Great Homes Herengracht
- 2006 Hollandse Pot, over eten in Nederland/ Hollandse Hoogte jaaropdracht
- 2006 NIBC Jaarverslag
- 2006 TNT Jaarverslag/Sustainability Report
- 2006 The New York Times, Westergasfabriek/Goudstikker collection/Rembrandt/
- 2005 Zilveren Camera, Landelijk Nieuws series
- 2005 The New York Times, Going to Amsterdam/
- 2004 The New York Times, View on Delft/Hermitage/
- 2003 Zilveren Camera, documentaire series, catalogus
- 2003 Hoog Water, De Ramp 50 jaar later, portretten
- 2004 The New York Times, Why we Travel
- 2002 Amerika, What about Greenville?
- 2002 Delta Democrat Times, An european view on Greenville
- 2002 02-02-02, Nederlandse fotografen bezien Het Huwelijk van Prins Willem Alexander en Maxima)
- 2002 Oog in Oog, hedendaagse Nederlandse fotografie, SBK
- 2002 Business Week, Murder in The Netherlands (Pim Fortuyn)
- 2001 Delta Democrat Times: Dutch photographer will chronicle Delta life
- 2001 The New York Times, Supperclub/Prostitution/Amsterdam Choice tables
- 2000 FOTO: Hotel Niepce, Bij het licht van een televisieprogramma, Johan de Vos
- 1999 De Groene Amsterdammer: "Feest"
Tentoonstellingen (selectie)
- 2021 Nieuwe Kerk, Maison Amsterdam
- 2019 Sandvoort Gallery
- 2012 Brandgang, ARCAM, Architectuur centrum Amsterdam
- 2011 25 uur met 25 jarigen, de Kleine Klup, Leiden, Sanoma Hoofddorp
- 2010 25 uur met 25 jarigen, Herman Wouters, fotograaf, Pakhuis de Zwijger
- 2008 Hong Kong Visions, Muziekgebouw aan het IJ
- 2008 Zilveren Camera, GEM Fotomuseum, Den Haag
- 2006 Zilveren Camera, Spaarnestad Archief Haarlem
- 2004 American Owned and Run, De Engelbewaarder. Amerika
- 2004 Zilveren Camera, Stadhuis Haarlem
- 2003 Rare Snuiters, Fotografen op reis, samenstelling Midas Dekkers, Nieuwe Kerk
- 2002 Oog in Oog, hedendaagse nederlandse fotografie, Kunsthal De Remise
- 2000 SBK Amsterdam, fototentoonstelling, weekend vd fotografie
- 1997 Solopresentatie SBK Amsterdam
- 1996 Artotheek Oost, Amsterdam. (Prijswinnaar project Uitdagingen)
- 1997 Amsterdams Centrum voor de Fotografie
- 1997 Nationaal Vakbondsmuseum, Amsterdam
- 1995 De Kazerne, Amsterdam
- 1991 W 139, Amsterdam, "Du corps et L' esprit'
- 1988 Arti & Amicitae, Amsterdam, Tetar van Elven Fonds
- 1987 Singer Museum, Laren
- 1987 Asselijn Amsterdam
- 1985 Koninklijke subsidie voor schilderkunst, Paleis op de Dam
- 1982 Strange Delights, dia-show, De Melkweg, Amsterdam
©2019 Herman Wouters, All rights reserved. Copyright, Conditions and Privacy