Atelier HSL
In 2003, the building of the highspeed train connection (HSL) from Amsterdam to Paris was well on it's way. One of the projects coïnciding with this major infrastructural effort was 'an artistic reflection', commissioned by the NS Dutch Railways, who put a buro in place called The Atelier HSL. Atelier HSL commissioned artists, photographers, designers, architects, writers and scholars to create (art)works that relate to the HSL, each in their own way and centring on themes of ‘speed’, ‘encounter’, ‘connection’, ‘travel’, ‘landscape’ and ‘Europe’. Among them John Körmeling, Saskia Olde Wolbers, Hans op de Beeck, Pipilotti Rist, Bas Princen, Elger Esser, Jem Southam, myself, and many others.
Since the importance of this connection (to me) is not in the actual rails on the ground but in connecting The Netherlands with Belgium, England and Germany, in other words: in the options provided to travellers and businesses to globalize more and faster, I created photoworks in 'the ports' the HSL was creating to do exactly that: Brussels, Paris, Berlin, and Lille (as a port to the UK). London did not grant permission to photograph at the trainstations. The photoworks created were exhibited in different groupshows and in different constellations in Brussels (2003), The Hague (2004), art fairs (2004-), etc.
I'm proud that my photoworks have since become part of the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, NL.
In 2003, the building of the highspeed train connection (HSL) from Amsterdam to Paris was well on it's way. One of the projects coïnciding with this major infrastructural effort was 'an artistic reflection', commissioned by the NS Dutch Railways, who put a buro in place called The Atelier HSL. Atelier HSL commissioned artists, photographers, designers, architects, writers and scholars to create (art)works that relate to the HSL, each in their own way and centring on themes of ‘speed’, ‘encounter’, ‘connection’, ‘travel’, ‘landscape’ and ‘Europe’. Among them John Körmeling, Saskia Olde Wolbers, Hans op de Beeck, Pipilotti Rist, Bas Princen, Elger Esser, Jem Southam, myself, and many others.
Since the importance of this connection (to me) is not in the actual rails on the ground but in connecting The Netherlands with Belgium, England and Germany, in other words: in the options provided to travellers and businesses to globalize more and faster, I created photoworks in 'the ports' the HSL was creating to do exactly that: Brussels, Paris, Berlin, and Lille (as a port to the UK). London did not grant permission to photograph at the trainstations. The photoworks created were exhibited in different groupshows and in different constellations in Brussels (2003), The Hague (2004), art fairs (2004-), etc.
I'm proud that my photoworks have since become part of the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, NL.
