Photo exhibition from 10 June to 29 September
Since ages, 'the' sailor has been rooted in caricatural and stereotypical representations: as protector of the nation, as saviour of the almost drowned, as a dissolute Jack Tar, as a masculine and virile character, tamer of the elements, as a sexsymbol for both women and men. The popular image of 'the' sailor is – and always has been – a cultural and contemporary projection.
In The Ultimate Sailor: under construction four contemporary Dutch photographers reflect on the way persistent stereotypical representations resonate in today's conceptions of 'the' sailor. What role does the image of 'the' sailor plays in society today?
Renowned photographers Koen Hauser, Jan Hoek, Marie-José Jongerius and Aisha Zeijpveld – whose artistic works all derive from themes such as image-construction, exoticism and myth building – together create a vibrant, new and non-conformist palette of the Ultimate Sailor. The Ultimate Sailor: under construction (on view until the 29th of September 2016) is programmed in a time when questions about stereotypical representations – such as Zwarte Piet and the film character of naval hero Michiel de Ruyter in The Netherlands, and the 'white' Oscars internationally – dominate the current public debate.
More about the photographers
Aisha Zeijpveld
Most likely you are already familiar with Aisha Zeijpveld's work: the nearly always absurd portraits that grace the cover of Volkskrant Magazine have been captured by her camera.
Koen Hauser
In the fifteen years since Koen Hauser studied photography at the Rietveld Academy, his work has been shown in exhibitions around the world, including in China, Europe, and the United States.
Marie-Jose Jongerius
Marie-José seeks out the boundary between human and nature. after graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, Marie-José received various prestigious grants that allowed her to travel the globe for her photography projects.
