Photographer Henk Wildschut’s work is characterized by a contemplative and often distant view on the people and situations he photographs. This adds a balance and monumental quality to his photographs that invite the viewer to further reflect on the subject. In 2005 he started a long-term projects around European illegal immigration. When visiting several refugee camps across the world, Henk was intrigued by the need for domesticity. Small gardens were created around the tents and these gardens turned out to be a universal phenomenon, symbols of hope and resilience.
After his extensive research project on refugees and migration, Henk Wildschut focused on another big subject: the worldwide energy transition and more specific ‘POWER’, the lack thereof or its abundance. Henk has started his research with a photographic tribute series featuring the smoke coming from chimneys of coal-fuelled power stations. By beautifying these clouds he provokes more rational ideas on our energy tradition. These power plants have given us so much; economic growth and welfare would be impossible without these highly efficient power stations. Henk feels that these clouds of smoke are part of our history, which he needs to record before they disappear in the course of transition.
He is currently working on a new, highly topical project that aims to depict the gap between farmers and the environment.
• Recent exhibitions at Galerie Bart: Transit 2022• The Great Photography Special 2020 • Unseen 2019 • Unseen 2018.
CV
Photographer Henk Wildschut graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, The Hague. His practice consists of long running photography projects, focused on pressing social issues like refugee crises, climate change and mass production.
Henk has been exhibiting since the beginning of the millennium, solo and in groups, in The Netherlands and abroad, both in galleries and museums. Among these occasions have been exhibitions at MoMa in New York City (US), Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Guangzhou Museum of Fine Arts in Guangzhou (CN), Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, Photography Art Center in Beijing (CN), and Star Gallery in London (GB). Moreover, Henk Wildschut frequently participates in fairs such as LagosPhoto in Lagos (NI), Arles Photo Festival in Arles (FR), Lianzhou Photo Festival in Lianzhou (CN), Unseen Photo Fair Amstedam and Getxophoto in Getxo (ES). The collaboration between Galerie Bart and Henk Wildschut dates back to 2018 and has resulted in exhibitions and fair presentations.
Henk’s work has been awarded with various awards and stipends, such as the Dutch Doc Award 2011 and Voies Off Award at Arles Photo Festival and grants by Mondriaan Foundation, Anna Cornelis Foundation and Rijksmuseum. Furthermore, Henk has published multiple photo books with support of the Mondriaan Foundation, acknowledged as Best Book 2017 by Arles Prix du Livre, Best Book 2011 at the Kees Scherer Photo Award and The Best Dutch Book Design 2017 and 2013 by De Best Verzorgde Boeken.
Ville de Calais
Shelter
Rooted
HW8
Special Editions
Publications
Press
2022 •
29.06 HET PAROOL Fotograaf Henk Wildschut: sporen van een uitzichtloze reis, by Edo Dijksterhuis.
2021 •
03.12 Volkskrant De beste tien Nederlandse fotoboeken van 2021, by Arno Haijtema, Mark Moorman & Merel Bem.
07.10 HET PAROOL De pandemie in beeld, herkenbaar voor iedereen by Edo Dijksterhuis.
29.09 De Groene Amsterdammer Dansende bloemen by Joke de Wolf.
23.09 BelleVue Diese Sidekicks der Art Basel sind einen Besuch wert by Ulrike Hug-Stüwe.
21.09 The Eye of Photography Photo Basel 2021.
21.09 The Guardian Flying colours: Photo Basel 2021 gets vibrant – in pictures.
2020 •
22.05 Tableau Magazine Kunst om voor thuis te blijven by Marjolein Sponselee.
28.01 The New Yorker The Plats That Make Regugee Camps Feel More Like Home by Coralie Kraft.
12.01 NRC Wie zou Rembrandt vandaag schilderen? by Louise Fresco.
08.01 De Groene Amsterdammer De laatste rookpluim by Zoran Boganoviç.
2019 •
05.10 Trouw Huiselijk by Christine Baart.
22.09 Mister Motley De series van Unseen by Claire Venema.
29.05 Het Parool Henk Wildschut wint met ‘Ville de Calais’ de Fotoboekenprijs 2019 editorial.
29.05 De Volkskrant Henk Wildschut wint de Fotoboekenprijs 2019 editorial.
2018 •
15.06 De Correspondent De EU spelt een verraderlijk taalspel. En migranten zijn er de dupe van by Maite Vermeulen, Tomas Vanheste.
07.02 Brabants Dagblad Henk Wildschut fotografeerde jarenlang de jungle van Calais by Gerrit van der Hoven.
2017 •
19.10 Tetem Soms zie je een beeld en dan denk je: dit vertelt alles! editorial.
11.08 Vrij Nederland Een tuintje naast je tent editorial.
21.07 Mister Motley Het onstuimige niemandsland by Lieneke Hulshof.
15.06 Mister Motley Ik keek naar hedendaagse kunst met 10-jarigen by Gerda van de Glind.
2016 •
13.12 Artnet News Henk Wildschut’s Refugees Are With Us Here, Now by Blake Gopnik.
05.10 Floornature Insecurities: Tracing Displacement and Shelter by Nicola Borgmann, Mohamen Keilani.
01.10 e-flux Insecurities: Tracing Displacement and Shelter Insecurities: Tracing Displacement and Shelter editorial.
21.09 The New York Times MoMA Looks at Migrants and Efforts to Help Them by Holland Cotter.
10.05 World Architecture MoMA’s New Exhibition Addresses To The issue of Security Within The Global Refugee Crisis editorial.
18.03 Archtectenweb Jungle van Calais: foto’s van Henk Wildschut editorial.
16.03 VPRO Nooit Meer Slapen Fotograaf the jungle in Calais by Pieter van der Wielen.
