Info

Herman Wouters
photographer

I worked as a regular contributor to The New York Times, on assignment by the Art, Travel and Foreign desks on features in the Netherlands. I also worked for the Dutch national newspaper Trouw and national weekly magazines de Groene Amsterdammer and HP/DeTijd. For a few years I was a parttime photo editor for the national newspaper de Volkskrant.

Nowadays I work on more experimental "slow-documentary" projects in the urban landscape, often resulting in self published zines, next to corporate assignments and teaching

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.

Instagram

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 seem 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. 

I photograph the urban landscape as a set of contradictions where separate fragments play an equally important role.
This way I hope to make sense of mixed realities.
I pay particular attention to where public domain becomes private and vice versa. 
Take note of the unseen; marvel at the mundane,  to be able to see and understand the sign language of the city and find big events in small nothings.

  For me photography is a need as well as 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. To find out how a detail is related to a larger whole, and to give things a new meaning by selecting and organizing the frame.  

Such a photo is not just a document of a place. 
It is also the result of research, observation and decision making.  

By doing so, I explore the world, explore the medium and explore myself. 

publications (selection)

2024 34 Blocked Views
2023 Amsterdam op maandag , Parts of a World, katane
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 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

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Tentoonstellingen (selectie)