THE WORLD THROUGH WOUDT'S LENS

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."

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