black white photography
Discover my artwork showcased in the stunning interiors by Casa Muñoz, featured in Architectural Digest Magazine.
This year my work was shown at Photo London together with Atlas Gallery. Thank you al for the kind response!
The work of photographer Bastiaan Woudt commands astronomical prices in the international art world. Fresh from a charity mission in Zambia and a tour through Brazil and Argentina, he now sets off on a pilgrimage by bicycle through Japan. Thirteen of Woudt's pieces are now showcased at Phillips Auction House in New York, marking a significant milestone in his rapidly evolving career.
Interview FIONA HERING photografie BASTIAAN WOUDT
Both arms of Bastiaan Woudt (37) are adorned with several of his works, immortalised in ink. Among them is Carlos, the photograph that ignited his career in 2014, as well as an iconic image of Zimbabwean Tinotenda Anesu Mushore from APL Model Management, with whom he has enjoyed a successful collaboration for years. His sleeve is yet to be completed, and Woudt has distinct ideas about it. While many impulsively visit a tattoo shop after a few drinks, Woudt prefers control and first sketches a detailed design plan for his arm on paper. This exemplifies the photographer's disciplined character, who conquered the art world in a relatively short period with immense focus and dedication. Woudt remains modest about his achievements, commenting, "Today, everyone uses their phone trying to be a photographer, but it was very different when I started. If you could capture a good photo and were also able to navigate social and professional circles skillfully, success came quickly."
Twelve years ago, Woudt rented a photo studio in an industrial estate in Alkmaar; back then unable to afford the office upstairs. Today, he owns not only the entire building but also the three adjacent properties, housing his own publishing house, 1605 Collective. In addition to his books, Woudt publishes art books by other photographers. Event Horizon by the Polish photographer Kacper Kowalski won first prize last year in the nature category at the American International Photography Awards.
Woudt's work is now represented by several international galleries and auctioned for amounts ranging from 20,000 to 60,000 euros at prestigious auction houses like Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips. His pieces are featured prominently at top photo and art fairs. He also undertakes commissioned projects for renowned magazines such as British and Portuguese Vogue and Volkskrant Magazine.
The Woudt empire spans 1200 square metres, meticulously and minimally designed in—unsurprisingly—black and white. The photographer exclusively works in black and white. According to him, the graphic lines, shapes, and textures are best highlighted without colour. It only distracts. However, he does not rule out using monotone colours in the near future. "The idea lingers in my mind like a significant boundary. Why? Because I've established black and white as my signature, and I'm determined not to lose the structures and character of my images. I receive numerous requests from prestigious fashion houses for campaigns, in colour. Until now, I've consistently declined, but perhaps it's time for some experimentation. However, it must be the perfect moment and the right project."
Self-directed
As cautious as Woudt currently is about safeguarding his artistic identity, he started fearlessly and remains similarly bold in other pursuits. This self-assured approach is evident in his decision not to pursue internships with other photographers. He explains: "I never aspired to intern with a photographer. I am quite headstrong. I often think, 'I can do it myself', and I learned how to create professional portraits by spending hours on YouTube."
Down-to-earth, typical of North Holland, and also typical of Woudt. He bought his first SLR camera at 22 to capture his newborn son and fell in love with the medium. "After two months, I had photographed him from every angle and was eager to photograph more. That led to me taking photos of snow-covered polder landscapes and seaside sunsets." Photographing people, however, is what he loved most. And so Woudt gave himself one year to try and make a living from photography.
"I conducted thirty shoots with friends, family, and people I met online, including Tinotenda. It was a period of experimentation, exploring what interested me and where that might lead me. This resulted in a series that I was very proud of. One of the images within this series was Carlos from 2014, which set a chain of events in motion. My work attracted the attention of a gallery, followed by a book, and soon, my work spread through art fairs like wildfire. Naturally, this meant I had to work even harder to meet expectations and rely on some luck. In 2018, I shot a series in Uganda, the charity project Mukono, for the Marie-Stella-Maris water brand. I submitted it to an online competition. Although the series didn't win this online competition, a gallery owner from Atlanta who served as a juror wanted to represent my work. From that point on, America became my primary market."
Champions
Since the success of Mukono, social projects have been important to the photographer. His project Champions launched in October in collaboration with the Dutch foundation Orange Babies. In December, in partnership with Vogue Netherlands, he held a one-night-only sales exhibition at the Posthoornkerk in Amsterdam, which raised 110,000 euros for Orange Babies. A book will follow later this year. Of course, only after securing the necessary funding. Woudt reflects, "In Zambia, I photographed a group of children and young adults who are heroes in their community, spreading awareness about HIV and creating safe spaces for peers to discuss essential topics and issues. I portrayed them as warriors, kings, and queens, visually representing their undeniable role in the fight against HIV and AIDS. It was an incredibly touching journey, especially due to the positivity and vitality these kids exuded."
Aside from his wife, three sons, daughter, and photography, music is another great passion for Woudt, particularly electronic dance music. "Recently, I was in Argentina and Brazil with a friend, DJ Satori, to create a mini-documentary about him. His biggest performance that week was in São Paulo for nine thousand people—the thrill of being on that stage is indescribable." Woudt started DJing himself at the age of fifteen. "Heavy hardcore, deep house, tech house, I pretty much explored all genres. Before I met my wife at 20, I fanatically played in Bergen and Alkmaar, at local festivals and community centres. Old habits die hard; I just repurchased a new set. I never aspired to become a famous DJ, but if you were to ask me now whether I'd prefer to be a world-famous DJ or a world-famous photographer, I'd choose DJ."
In 2022, Woudt had his first solo exhibition at the Kranenborg Museum in Bergen. It left him hungry for more. "Gallery shows are fun, but the selection of displayed works is influenced by sales potential. Galleries call this 'expensive walls.' In a museum, you have more freedom in selecting and showing works, providing more context to the story. I will have five exhibitions coming up, including museum exhibitions. I anticipate and hope for an international museum show featuring the Champions project."
In February, he launched his gallery show in Las Vegas. Thirteen of his works are on display at Phillips Auction House in New York this month. "We auction off a piece in the Ultimate Auction once a year. The entire edition of the work put up for auction, typically around ten pieces, must be sold out beforehand. Only the final artist print (AP) remains available, providing the last opportunity to acquire the piece. We have now implemented this concept in a sales exhibition. A full edition sold out, meaning only my final artist print (AP) remains out of all thirteen works at the headquarters. This presents a significant opportunity for visibility in America."
On Pilgrimage
In 2019, Woudt embarked on a month-long journey to Nepal with his brother. "A few years earlier, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and fell in love with the physical challenge. In Nepal, I combined this with a photography project: spending 28 days on an expedition through the Himalayan mountains, sleeping in tents at 5,000 metres altitude, and photographing everything I encountered. In search of a new project, I discovered the Shikoku Hero, a pilgrimage on the Japanese island of Shikoku, covering 1,400 kilometres passing by 88 temples. This month, I am cycling along this route with my other brother for six weeks to capture photographs."
Woudt is a busy bee currently working on four major multidisciplinary projects that he doesn't want to reveal much about yet. It involves his fascination for AI, leading him to pursue a project that signifies a new direction for him. How does he manage to do it all? "I try to stick to a regular schedule as much as possible. I take my children to school four days a week and then head to the gym for an hour and a half of exercise. This routine is sacred to me. Additionally, I haven't had a drop of alcohol in seven months. In the past, I used to do everything that God forbids, and I still do at times. But during busy periods, I am very strict with myself."
“I am always looking for a poetry of tones and contrasts that invites the viewer to see only the essence of my subjects.”
—Bastiaan Woudt
Phillips says:
In Papillon, the timeless, monumental work offered here, Bastiaan Woudt (b.1987) continues his exploration of abstraction and form in pursuit of what he calls ‘monochromatic minimalism’. The artist has captured model Tinotenda Mushore’s silhouette, wearing a striking hat by Dutch milliner Marianne Jongkind, against a plain background. ‘The picture immediately reminded me of a butterfly, hence the chosen title,’ he notes. As a self-taught photographer, Woudt has developed his distinctive monochromatic style through experimentations in both in-camera and post-production techniques. Drawing inspiration from classic black-and-white photographs by 20th-century masters Irving Penn and Richard Avedon, he aims to capture the quality of analogue photography through digital means. The Dutch artist has published ten photobooks to date and has exhibited his work in cities worldwide, including Amsterdam, Paris, New York and Shanghai, since 2014. In 2022, his first solo museum exhibition Twist was held at Bergen’s Museum Kranenburgh.
Papillon, 2021
Archival pigment print, mounted.
Image: 180 x 135 cm (70 7/8 x 53 1/8 in.)
Frame: 217 x 158 cm (85 3/8 x 62 1/4 in.)
Signed, titled, dated, numbered AP1 in ink on an artist label and signed Certificate of Authenticity, both accompanying the work.
This work is AP1 from the sold-out edition of 3 + 1 AP. This image is sold out in all sizes and editions.
Auction 21 November 2022 2pm GMT
30 Berkeley Square, London, United Kingdom, W1J 6EX (map)
Viewing 15 November - 21 November
Monday-Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm-6:00pm
My artwork will be exhibited at Pan Amsterdam, in collaboration with Bildhalle, from November 16th to 26th. Looking forward to connecting and sharing my art with you.
"Exciting news! I am thrilled to announce "Rhythm", my upcoming solo exhibition at Galerie Bildhalle in Zurich on 1 June 2023. This retrospective exhibition will showcase my art from the past 10 years and ongoing work, featuring new and never-before-seen pieces. Mark your calendars and don't miss it!"
I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for the incredible support and warm reception that I received during the opening of my solo show "Cadence" in Los Angeles by the Fahey Klein Gallery. I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to share my work with all of you.
I am delighted to hear that the 31 pieces on display have been well received by everyone who has come to see the show. Your kind words and encouragement have inspired me to continue creating art that touches people's hearts.
For those who have not yet had the chance to visit "Cadence," the show will be available for viewing until March 18th. I invite you to come and experience the beauty and emotion of my art firsthand.
Once again, thank you for making this exhibition such a success, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon and a big thanks to my new Gallery Fahey Klein
SHOW WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING UNTIL MARCH 18th 2023
148 North La Brea, Los Angeles, CA 90036
contact@faheykleingallery.com | faheykleingallery.com
I am proud to announce that my work Cycle II is now in the permanent collection of the Getty Museum in LA.
About the Getty Museum
The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks to inspire curiosity about, and enjoyment and understanding of, the visual arts by collecting, conserving, exhibiting and interpreting works of art of outstanding quality and historical importance. To fulfill this mission, the Museum continues to build its collections through purchase and gifts, and develops programs of exhibitions, publications, scholarly research, public education, and the performing arts that engage our diverse local and international audiences. All of these activities are enhanced by the uniquely evocative architectural and garden settings provided by the Museum's two renowned venues: the Getty Villa and the Getty Center.
The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center in Los Angeles houses European paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and photography from its beginnings to the present, gathered internationally.
Outer Peristyle, The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa
The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa in Malibu opened on January 28, 2006, after the completion of a major renovation project. As a museum and educational center dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria, the Getty Villa serves a varied audience through exhibitions, conservation, scholarship, research, and public programs. The Villa houses approximately 44,000 works of art from the Museum's extensive collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities, of which over 1,200 are on view.
With two locations, the Getty Villa in Malibu and the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the J. Paul Getty Museum serves a wide variety of audiences through its expanded range of exhibitions and programming in the visual arts.
My work will be exhibited from Sept 1st to Oct 8th at the Samuel Maenhoudt Gallery in Brussels. Samuel Maenhoudt Gallery offers a selection of unique contemporary works by a variety of international photographers and artists, both emerging and well-established talents. The gallery specialises in conceptual fine art photography and the collection is specifically suited to the first time collector as to the more experienced connoisseur.photographers and artists, both emerging and well-established talents.
Sept 1st - Oct 8th
Rue Darwin 37, 1050 Brussels
samuelmaenhoudt.com
From Friday 16th till Sunday 19th September 2022 the 10th edition of Unseen Photo Fair will take place in Cultuurpark Westergas. This art fair, devoted to the latest developments in contemporary photography, has been considered progressive, international and of institutional quality since its first edition. My work will be shown by gallery Bildhalle which presents a nice selection together with beautiful works by my fellow photographers such as Paul Cupido, Ilona langbroek, Thirza Schaap, Casper Faasen and more. I will be present during the opening on Thursday the 15th of September
Unseen
Friday 16th till Sunday 19th September
Unseen
We look back on a beautiful exhibition in Paris at Studio de Acacias with the work of Bastiaan Woudt in collaboration with A. galerie paris, Mazarine group and Reiffers art initiatives.
Thanks for setting up this nice show of my work in Paris!
The Conservatorium Hotel has invited me as 'artist in residence' to surprise hotel guests with my Fine Art photography.
For the occasion, a Royal Duplex Suite of 71 m2 was transformed into a veritable Bastiaan Woudt photo gallery. The suite with an elegant, contemporary design with natural colors and dark wooden floors, lends itself as the ideal base to showcase my fine Art photography. Guests can observe the works of art spread over two floors and at the same time enjoy beautiful views over the streets of Amsterdam.
29-10-2021 till 30-09-2022
Book the Bastiaan Woudt suit
Thankfully this year Photo London was able to open again and I was delighted to see all my colleagues again and having chats with people who are interested in my work. It was such a joy after 1,5 years to visit an art fair again, lets hope we can continue seeing each other at all the upcoming fairs!
See you al next fair 2022, 12-15 May Somerset House
