Sjoert Willemstein

Photography and Visual Arts

STATEMENT

Nothing stands still, not in matter not in mind. Fascination in this concept of
nature and life is source of inspiration in all my expressions. Seeing what motions and developments coincide, correspond, act upon each other, and asking how humans deal in these dynamics, enable me to start again and again new projects.

 

GALLERIES

Photography

Photography in motion

By Car
A12
IJburg
Netherlands
Spain

By Train
France
Netherlands
Spain

By Streetcar
Amsterdam Line 9
Amsterdam Line 26

Themes
Making Landscapes: bulb flower culture in the Netherlands
Speed Basics: construction of High Speed Railways in Dutch Polders

Photography of moving subjects
Port of Rotterdam
Waters
Flowers in the wind
Trains passing by

Nature and Landscape
Dunes
Mountains
This land IS water

City Landscape and Architecture
Rotterdam
Paris

 

Visual arts
Acrylic paintings inspired by metaphors of motion

 

BIOGRAPHY

SJOERT WILLEMSTEIN (1943)

Educated as biologist I worked for some time in biology as curator at the Natural History Museum (now Naturalis) and as PhD student at the National Herbarium in Leyden, preparing my thesis on co-evolution of pollinating insects and flowering plants. After my career in policy-making and international affairs in Erasmus Medical Center of Erasmus University Rotterdam, I worked part-time as photographer and visual artist in Rotterdam Charlois since 2002, and since February 2004 I do so full-time.

PHOTOGRAPHY
In biology I made many (macro) photos for the collections of the Department of
Systematic Zoology of Leyden University.
In art photography and visual arts I am autodidact and got support by courses of
Fotogram in Amsterdam and ’Stichting Kunstzinnige Vorming’ in Rotterdam.

Fascinated by motion I explore the possibilities to register it photographically. I photograph in motion and from standstill moving subjects. In photographing in motion perspective makes space visible and time perceptible.
I specialize in photography of motion in the widest sense. It is kind of painting with the camera.

Next to photographing motion I try to register all which moves me.
All images are explored in possibilities of actual image processing techniques.
Photos are taken analogously and digitally. In the first negatives are scanned at high resolutions.


VISUAL ARTS
Acrylic paintings are also motion metaphors.


EDUCATION
Fotogram – Amsterdam
SKVR – Rotterdam (in Dutch)


EXHIBITIONS

2006


’Kunst aan de Kade’ (KadK5), Rotterdam (group)
Motion Photography: Making Landscapes

Erasmus University Rotterdam (solo)
Motion Photography: Dynamic Dreams and Making Landscapes

2005

Open Atelierroute Charlois
DordtSalon: Zien’s, Rotterdam (group)
Motion Photography: Making Landscapes

DordtSalon: Fremdkörper, Rotterdam (group)
Motion Photography: Flowers in the Wind

’Kunst aan de Kade’ (KadK4), Rotterdam (group)
Motion Photography: By Car, By Train

Open Studios Route Charlois, Rotterdam (solo)
Motion Photography and acryllic paintings

DordtSalon: ’100 spijkers, 100 kunstenaars’, Rotterdam (group)
Motion Photography: Motion

Wohlfahrt, Rotterdam Charlois (solo)
Photography People from the Wolphaertstraat

’Kunst aan de Kade’ (KadK3), Rotterdam (group)
Motion Photography: Dynamic Dreams

Erasmus University Rotterdam (solo)
Motion Photography: Dynamic Dreams and Making Landscapes

Wohlfahrt, Rotterdam Charlois (solo)
Motion Photography: Speed Basics

2004

Open Studios Route Charlois, Rotterdam (solo)
Motion Photography and acrylic paintings

It’s Charlois Time, Theatre Zuidplein, Rotterdam (group)
Motion Photography

Shop Window Project of Galery Karin Vosters at Coolsingel 53 and 63 in Rotterdam
(solo)
Motion Photography

Balcony Scenes, Rotterdam (solo)
Motion Photography and slide shows

Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
Motion Photography

2003

’Centrum voor Beeldende Kunst’ (GSA gallery), Hilversum (group)
Motion Photography

Open Studios Route Charlois, Rotterdam (solo)
Motion Photography

Erasmus MC, Rotterdam (solo)
Motion Photography

First International Architecture Biennale, Rotterdam (group)
Motion Photography

2002

Open Studios Route Charlois, Rotterdam (solo)
Architecture Photography

Erasmus University Rotterdam (group)
Nature Photography and acrylic paintings

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of Erasmus University Rotterdam (solo)
Architecture Photography


WORK IN COLLECTIONS - Photography

Erasmus MC
Successors of Expositieruimte Klein 14


SALES

The photos and paintings are for sale. Photos generally are produced as giclée
prints in limited editions. Slide shows are also available. If you are interested, please contact me.

Sjoert Willemstein
Wolphaertstraat 15A
3082 BJ ROTTERDAM
The Netherlands
Tel. +31 (0)10 4955164 or +31 (0)6 2502 8266

E-mail sjoert.willemstein@hetnet.nl
URL www.sjoertwillemstein.nl

LINKS

Charlois
Wohlfahrt
JG Visualisatie (in Dutch)
Balcon Scènes (in Dutch)
Stichting B.a.d.

Rotterdam
Etalage Project (in Dutch)

The Netherlands
Moondance Project (in Dutch)

Friends
Nico Gerrits