Streykatt and his Inclusion

Homme-Less San Francisco

2011-02-23T02:01:00.067-05:00

"Homme-Less San Francisco".

What is Homme-Less San Francisco?..
Well it's about guys who may be down and about,
Maybe willing to help out,
As they search for a crony in the many circles that can be found.
Often times in style.
Be it that they're clad in duds,
They'll sit and talk for a while.
Some discuss with fervent eloquence, about their prowess at harnessing studs,
Or how they'll be spending their days in search of their next ways and means in this fluky town of buzz..
Where the weather is rather arbitrary, like these men, they're fairly directionless, For a period, then back on solid ground...
A couch here, a squat there,
Drifting to whatever they can fare, to collect themselves, for the next something to be found.
Because, they mean no harm, especially while arm in arm,
They seek no solitude in this city as this is pretty much a shame and pity,
Considering there's usually someone friendly to hang around...
Yet perhaps unaware, it was just cloudy days, in their new friend's gaze that rolled them over, until its dissipation which makes no sound
Faintly articulating how Mother Nature can withdraw her glorious ways.

(click here to view the full series)

The ‘Meanest’
US cities in 2009:
(According to City Mayors Society)
1. Los Angeles, CA
2. St. Petersburg. FL
3. Orlando, FL
4. Atlanta, GA (4)
5. Gainesville, FL
6. Kalamazoo, MI
7. San Francisco, CA (up from 11th in 2006 and rising)
8. Honolulu, HI
9. Bradenton, FL
10. Berkeley, CA

Which states have the highest rates of homelessness?

Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington State, and Washington, D.C. have the highest rates of homelessness, according to a study released in 2007 by The National Alliance to End Homelessness.

San Francisco

The city of San Francisco, California, due to its mild climate and its social programs that have provided cash payments for homeless individuals, is often considered the homelessness capital of the United States.[90] The city's homeless population has been estimated at 7,000-10,000 people, of which approximately 3,000-5,000 refuse shelter. The city spends $200 million a year on homelessness related programs.[91] It is believed that New York, despite a population 10 times larger, has only few hundred more chronically homeless individuals.[90] On May 3, 2004 [14], San Francisco officially began an attempt to scale back the scope of its homelessness problem by changing its strategy from cash payments to the "Care Not Cash" plan. At the same time, grassroots organizations within the Bay Area such as the Suitcase Clinic work to provide referrals for housing and employment to the homeless population. In 2010, a city ordinance was passed which will disallow sitting and lying down on public sidewalks for most of the day, from 7am until 11pm.[92]

Two Simultaneous Happenings of 'Homme-less San Francisco' November 19th 2011

Pink Night Closing Party

Bruxelles- Each year, Pink Screens offers you ten days of pure pleasure, an abundance of films, exhibitions and parties, including our not-to-be-missed Pink Night closing party. Ten days to assault and deconstruct binary normality!

The WORLD PREMIERE of OUT THERE Issue 3 (The Art Issue)
San Francisco - WORLD PREMIERE of Issue 3: The Art Issue. Come down and pick-up your copy. 2pm, Saturday 19 November - Books Inc, Castro, Market Street! An interview regarding the homelessness of the youth of San Francisco.

DONATE:
50% of earnings from donations arranged from having seen this site will be given to a homeless organization here is San Francisco
Please inquire to make viewing arrangements of images that are available by typing
'Streykatt and His Inclusion' in the subject to
Streykatt at Hotmail dot Com!
(click here to view the full series)

...if you Please!

Man You Factor

2010-10-20T08:31:00.050-04:00

!!!VOTE!!!

!!!VOTE!!!

Presented in East Village Boys
requisitioned by Idomenee Magazine for the special edition and presence at Art Basel Miami December, 2010.
Camera Club Los Angeles

...if you Please!

"See Something Say Something" by Bobby Collins

2010-05-25T13:23:00.054-04:00

Yesterday, I sent an e-mail, that contained the images of a shoot I did for the East Village Boys to the EVB's... I'd like to say that I'm happy about that and grateful for the opportunity!.. I'm happy about it because what I chose to photograph was a subject(s) based on issue(s) that have been bothering me for so long.. Arabs and Homos. Not Arabs and homos in general, but the American propaganda and campaign to zero in on the fear we should have for anything foreign, particularity, the understanding of Arabic peoples and of course, Gays. The mix of the two is volatile (in some regions).

One of my closest friends (Arab), someone who I've been through a lot with and for, has finally come to the USA . We used to talk about hanging in NYC together many times, having fun like all of the stories I used to go on about (but what's amusingly sad, is that I would run into old friends at a few of the 'old fun' places and we would have to explain the 'fun' that once existed, rather than 'Be A Part Of IT'). Fortunately (as unwitting casualties of the same campaign that leads people to believe that foreigners, especially Arabic guests, are more scrutinized at the embassy and at customs), last month's process, was a cake walk..(for him anyway.. ?!LUCKY!?.. who knows, but try doing that in Israel, lol ). I mean, why not.. is xenophobia and homophobia really so rampant in the USA, as it is in.. hmm, let's just say 'other places'? While going around NYC, usually by subway, there were a few moments that I almost felt embarrassed sitting with him in front of a huge sign like...(actually many of the subway cars have these signs in practically every advertising slot)...

My 'see something say something' shoot shall soon be on the EVB's site within June/July. Coinciding is an exhibition in Berlin that my friend Mody was asked to be a part of. The exhibition titled, THRILLER is an extension to the exhibition '1 69 A2' that was shown in the fall of 2009 during the Fiac in Paris. He's going to also use parts from the 'see something say something' propaganda (basically use elements of fear) that's in place in NYC, and an image from my 'see smthng say smthng' I shot with him.

OPENING SATURDAY, JUNE 12TH 2010
From 6pm to 11pm
&
SUNDAY, JUNE 13TH 2010
From 6pm to 11pm

Rigaerstr. 69, 10247 Berlin U5 : Samariterstr.

AFTER SHOW PARTY
On Saturday, June 12th, from 11pm
at The Mirror Bar
Stralunderstr. 29A 13355 Berlin U8 : Bernauerstr.

Poem by bobby collins

My inspiration stems from
The gloom and from the glum…
Propagated and stated
By those who have made it
A collective lump sum
To feel incessantly unabated
Toward lessening what’s left of our curtailed way of fun.

Who fears the sight of this ‘thing’?
Focus toward the right wing,
Since its mere residence will foster
An unwarranted angst that does offer
A Suspicion toward someone or something.
that could modify our lauder
And his freedom for being most promising.

To them, they’re uncertain
That it, unlike this person,
This sight for sore eyes
For whom they chastise
Could make it all worsen
If they presume to legalize,
What is now behind a closed curtain.

And it doesn’t stop there,
As many people from everywhere
Would like to enjoy their vacation
In our ornery creation of a nation
Where you can’t even fucking swear
Unless it’s your right hand on a black book like that at an ordination
And who does care?
See something say something is in the air….

Music is by 'Badfinger'- Tuesday Morning (a song from 1971-72)
I was looking for a song that related to a more (relatively) peace seeking time and/or pre-9/11 experience..
something that would also refer to my friend as being my friend (as well as all of my friends, foreign and domestic LOL but i guess that depends on where iam). I chose Badfinger's 'Tuesday Morning', because the lyrics reflect the day of Tuesday, September 11th 2001, as we (Mody and I) were in Europe, and our 'morning' had already passed.. and a new mourning started in the afternoon... to speak for myself, it was a beautiful morning as Tuesdays tended to be my Sundays for a while. It was an easy-going period, until our afternoon, that changed a lot about our lives.

Bagarre - Lemonsweet (Kinky Afro edit)

2010-01-16T15:04:00.007-05:00

well.. they've done it again.. they have used a piece of my illustration work for their own use..!! and I'm very happy about that! thanks guys!!

Bagarre - Lemonsweet (Kinky Afro edit) The original version produced by Giovanni Ricoveri in 1982 will be available on February 1st 2010, and from what I've heard already, and know from Kinky Afro's past remixes, this one will be just as cool as the last but with new twists and slightly variously different emotions!

become a fan on facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/serkankoc.ayvalik?ref=ts#/bagarrelemonsweet?ref=mf

NEW WEBSITE

2009-09-18T16:15:00.005-04:00

Hello,

I'd like to announce my new website, www.streykatt.com . It's a website of a variety of photographic works, shot by me. It includes fashion, personal, backstage, front row, and publications & exhibitions.

Also, in the "purchase" tab/page, one can purchase my new book, "No Die No Sore Lover...", or customized images, available by arranging your request, via e-mail.

The site is very new and undergoing some navigational changes, otherwise, it should be easy to follow!

thanks!!

Kinky Afro Disc Jockeys OUT April Fool's 2009

2009-08-17T04:31:00.030-04:00

Collage by: bobby collins
(click the flyer to hear the recently promoted track)

I've been going to these parties called 'Los Ninos' in (Antwerp) Belgium for a while and always ended up becoming a lost mijo afterward... the music, people, locations were (are) always different.. different in the sense that you're not really sure what to expect at first, (but of course, one does know to expect something interesting), as the location changes with each party, as well as the dj line-up, thus, offering a new wave of ninos.

From the people who bring us Los Ninos (Wilfred and Manu), and coinsiding with Wilfred's Birthday, debuts Fingerspitzengefuhl on August 23rd 2008, at and in a swimmingpool in Bruxelles, and introduces Kinky Afro Disc Jockeys for the Italo tribute for the first two parties. I arrived a bit late to the first party (like only one hour left). Regardless, I made shanpshots of friends and some of what was going on. One day while going through the pics, I had an idea to compose a collage of the party and send it to Wilfred for his birthday.

In turn, and unexpectedly, Wilfred posted the collage on the 'Finger' site, which, in turn, prompted the Kinky Afro Disc Jockey's to contact me, asking to use the work for an up and coming cover of their debut track titled:
Sarah Dash - Low Down Dirty (Kinky Afro edit)

After the following party in Antwerp, which featured artist Hassan Huseyin Oylum's interpretation of the 'Finger' logo, I took it upon myself to make another (this one I like more).

Collage of Fingerspitzengefuhl Party in Antwerp by: bobby collins

To view photos I shot and reinterpreted just click on the image below...

Trashin' Tulsa with Austin Lucas

2009-07-30T17:07:00.024-04:00

Model: Austin Lucas
Photography: Bobby Collins

Model: Austin Lucas

It's summer time here in Tulsa Oklahoma USA and I am totally bored... well... I am not doing the things I would prefer to be doing.. in fact, it is great to see and be temporarily living with my longest known friend, but he works 9 to 6.. I'm limited to what I can do here with the lack of a proper transit system and no car, not knowing any other people here, as it's not easy to meet people without transport... furthermore, leaving me to be inclined to search on-line for people.. yeeeah! Craig's List? or some googled site? neither really offers any usable results.

As fate would have it, a reprieve came my way! My friend went on holiday with his family for two weeks.. leaving me the car and an opportunity to consider doing a photo shoot! I wanted to shoot something that reflected my attitude against the system here, such as, shoot a nude male model, outdoors, with well recognized landmarks (by Tulsans)or brands, typical to the mid-west. I couldn't find any kind of proper styling that would offer the lawlessness I was about to engage in, so with an old thought in mind, to make dress items out of plastic bags, I chose clear plastic "trash" bags to cut patterns from, out of pieces from my own closet, so that the model wouldn't be "nude", by symbolically, covering up the things that human beings have (or guys, hehehe) have or acquire, such as genitals and/or tattoos, piercings, with trash bags.

Somewhat inspired by Helmut Newton's nudes, Larry Clark's photographic record of his teenage years here in Tulsa, as well as Slava Mogutin's nationalistic approach, I decided to go for it! Prior to and during the pattern making, I searched on an on-line modeling site called Model Mayhem, where anybody can be a model.. I have to admit though, there are quite a few good models there and many of them are just trying their luck. I did a search and found about 7 guys.. contacted all of them, but only two had agreed to nude photos, while the others were completely against nude images. So no matter how creative the project was supposed to be, as these non believing party pooper model wannabe's were strictly hoping for some kind of Abercombie and Fitch campaign photos, and/or harboring some homophobic tendency, they politely declined.

However, the one I was most interested in anyway, Austin Lucas.. was quite young (18yrs) and with tattoos, bleached out hair and very slim and lengthy, agreed to be shot. Upon further scrutiny of his photos, I noticed that there was a logo on some of them, reading SaggerzSkaterz.com.. a porn site! I was quite pleased because I really wanted someone who was very young and photogenic, with attributes such as his, and who had no problem being nude! Austin Lucas is his stage name, and he agreed to do the shoot.. knowing that he could possibly be jailed and given the label of a "sex offender", because here, in the authoritative state of Oklahoma, and propably many others here in "the land of the free", if you even piss outdoors, away from your private property or designated places, you are "exposing" yourself and putting peoples moral lives in jeopardy!

I was very nervous about shooting him with this in mind, because I believed that, I too, could have been condemned to this title. We did our first location diagonally across from the Wonder Bread factory, in their parking lot for the Wonder Bread 18 wheelers, along a busy street. We were interrupted by an undercover police officer who pulled into our parking lot and staked us out for about 15 minutes.. luckily I devised a way to quickly cover up this obscenity if in case, someone should happen to complain. As for the rest, well I just took chances.. remembering one guy's reply to me on Craig's List that he was having a private pool party in an exclusive residential area of Tulsa. Of course I didn't go, (too shy for that) but hours before the shooting, I did contact him to ask to use his pool for my own needs.. hehe!

Unbeknown to me, I had a possible devastating scenario when developing, days after I dropped off the film at the photo lab. I received a phone call from the lab telling me that they are not able to continue with my order because it appears that I have photographed a nude minor and that I need to provide proof of his age, otherwise, they are obligated to report my images to the authorities!! I was shocked and somewhat bewildered.. freaked out for about two days.. the audacity of the call.. I felt that at any moment Chris Hanson from NBC's "Dateline" was going to come to my place with Austin and some camera crew with slanderous questions regarding what was I thinking! Luckily, that didn't happen and I was able to show them to you! I hope you like them, and if you would like to know how you may obtain one or more, please feel free to contact me!

Director Marie Alice Brandner-Wolfszahn

2009-06-12T13:40:00.009-04:00

A music video produced and directed
by: Marie Alice Brandner-Wolfszahn
track from the video
''PPOP''
track by: Miss Kittin and the Hacker

UPDATE: THE ORIGINAL PROJECT THAT YOU WILL READ ABOUT IS NO LONGER UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR PPOP, THE TRACK BY MISS KITTIN, THUS, MISS BRANDNER-WOLFSZAHN HAS DECIDED TO ALTER THE VIDEO TO BE CONDUSIVE TO SOME OTHER PROJECT.
I was originally visiting with Marie, when she asked me if i'd like to do the hair & make-up for her video. I hardly do this any more, unless it's for the new faces board at an agency or whatever, but the chance to work on a project with her was very inviting, so i agreed.

In the end, it was brought to my attention that she was still in need of casting the "fox" or "wolf" man, so after sitting around for many hours and not with much make-up, (because my equipment was not in berlin), I asked, "hey Marie, if you need a wolfman.." and before I could finish she said that I would be great for the part!

Behind the Scenes

Photos by: Johan Deletang
http://www.glimisteriosi.com

As Life's Nights Ebb...

2009-05-19T00:55:00.044-04:00

As there are some nights when we prepare ourselves for going out, by dressing in the most contemporaneous way to have the best night ever, we tend to forget that it will not usually physically last any longer than the night will.

We choose to dress ourselves according to what we know will project the fun we hope to discover. Once peaked at the limen for descent, the antithesis is evident in these chronicled images. For some, as the night ebbs, their longevity boasts thru into daybreak, only to reach the inevitable.

This series of fauxtos, with a personal depiction of Vanitas in either both, a literal Latin translation and/or an artistic interpretation, features local and/or internationally known guys (who isn't internationally known actually), who wind up being exanimate manikins, and unintentionally sexually vulnerable.

Subsequently, their fashionable contemporaneousness, (at least one piece) provided by a new or emerging fashion designer, as well as they themselves, their fun, and their location, will be seen as ephemeral and/or irrelevant. There's a few in every city, but so far I've only discovered a few... cities I mean!

Summer 2008 Amsterdam

Spring 2008 Berlin

Winter 2008 Brussels

March 26, 2008 Brussels

Spring 2008 Paris

Spring San Francisco 2010

Winter San Francisco 2011

Spring 2009 Berlin

Jean Baptiste Biche

2009-03-09T07:10:00.008-04:00

SYPHILIS PREVENTION CAMPAIGN WITH EX AEQUO, 2009

www.jeanbaptistebiche.com

One day, while at my favorite cafe of all time, Fontinas, located inconspicuously in the center of Bruxelles (as most things there are), Jean Biche had mentioned that he was working on some project and asked if I would like to be a part of it. I totally said yes, but I did that in my own head.. in reality, I just responded calmly and matter of factly, "sure, I'm free.. when?".

A few weeks prior to that though, I had timidly asked him to consider me for an illustration...I don't know... that if he was to ever think that that would be inspiring for him, to ask. That came sooner then later! And now I have this super Rodin-esque illustration of myself!

I'm in awe with his freehand illustrations, and feel made privy to being one of a few, who will ever be depicted by his microscopically precise and stylishly accurate LED strokes... he uses pencils too!

The campaign was to bring an "awareness" to the trendy fashionistas and artsy fartsy throngs who roam within this village; so that, not even they, are left out from becoming enlightened by and visually stimulated over, the awareness that this indiscrimintaing attraction syphilis has on people is actually a part of our life too. What I most appreciate about this city is that no one seems to be exempt from having a personal friend like this, as people really mix well here, for the most part, considering the political climate of this small country as a whole. So it works very well and pleased to be a part of it!

Valeria Farina's "The Morning After Dress"

2009-02-24T06:21:00.009-05:00

Signorita Farina, a student at the Royal Academy of Fine Art Antwerp, was invited by Sameheads, an underground boutique in Berlin, to exhibit her dress along with these images we shot together with model Corazone from Antwerp, who is currently with Ford Models NY. Was a fun opening, as, quite a few people, designers, editors, and shoppers, passed by to have a look.

Lars Paschke

2008-08-10T05:08:00.014-04:00

At the end of spring, 2008, fashion designer Lars Paschke, was finishing his last year at the Royal Academie of Fine Art Antwerp. I had met him the previous summer in Berlin with my friend Valeria Farina, of whom, you may(have) read about here on other posts.

I was visiting with Valeria during the end of spring 2008, and started to find inspiration and direction from her and Lars, along with the city of Antwerp itself, and for that matter, Belgium.

As a requirement of the academy, Lars had to provide a portfolio of the line he prepared for the year end examination, and he, by the reference of Valeria, asked me if I would shoot it. We didn't have much time, nor options, so we shot it digitally, which I disliked doing for this shoot , because his line was so craftfully made, colorful and rich in graphic, I felt it deserved film. In the end it turned out well, as the clothing developed a unique crisp texture.

I decided to use the images of the "lookbook" shoot and some I had taken of him just organizing the clothes and props for the shoot, to make illustrations of the line and incorporate him in the images, thus somehow (in my head) compensating for not having shot with film.
,')

By: Bruce LaBruce

2007-12-10T09:53:00.003-05:00

One summer nite in 2007, while out at a bar, I ran into Bruce and his model Jose, who had just arrived to berlin from Barcelona.. I had already met Bruce a few weeks before, with my then hubby to be and was hoping to have the opportunity to work with him; I was thinking more behind the scenes, but he asked me if I wanted to be the second guy in his "Voleur" editorial for Pref Mag; a Gay magazine from Paris..I give vague mention to this in my first book "no die no sore lover..."

Sadak

2007-08-12T08:10:00.005-04:00

Funny how things can go sometimes! Summer 07.. it was truly one of the best summers I had ever experienced, but that was more towards the middle of it. I had just had my first photo exhibit in Europe, a small photo exhibtion (collaboratively) at Ideal Showroom in Berlin. While there, I had just broken up with someone. I decided to remain in Berlin after the 'break-up', because going back to Amsterdam was just not something I could see myself doing! The whole time I was in Berlin, I was preparing this exhibit and never had a good chance to socialize during that time, due in part, because of the crappy situation with this ex! So as we were boarding the train, I simply let the doors close and watch him roll away towards Amsterdam!

That was crazy because I really didn't know people there and I hadn't completely confirmed to my friend Sasa (Sasha)that I would be staying with him.. but he did tell me, if I needed a place to stay to call him! If u look in the dictionary for the word 'sweetheart' there his picture will be!

I had met Sasa about 6 months earlier at the Berghain one superly amazing moment there at like 11 am. I contacted him to let him know about the exhibit, thus, I filled him in on what was going on in my life! So after the train doors shut, I called him, went over, and he offered me a place to stay for the rest of the summer, and from that moment, the most amazing summer was about to happen!

Anyway, while things were just normal day to day living moments (at least for me anyway), Sasa had a friend coming to visit from Switzerland, with whom he had been planning to shoot his latest womens line. Samo arrived and things were pretty fun!
He told me some nice stories about his work and studies. It was really one of the first times I had actually spoken about photography with another photographer.. I hadn't went to school, yet he found a way to make the subject about photography rather than comparatively speaking about it. There were still so many things I didn't know or realize, as I just work from instinct with minimal technical knowledge in mind.. (that doesn't mean I don't know it, it's just that I only consider it during a nano second), but he, however, thinks of the post production while shooting, which got me thinking that that is exactly what I like the most about a shoot.. the next best thing about shooting is the actual taking of the pictures. So now a days, I consider the post more conscientiously, thanks to Samo!

The day before the shooting, Samo was preparing himelf for it. He wanted to test the lighting and asked me if he could shoot me for that. I agreed (cause I love being shot! ) but I wanted to dress up in some of Sasa's mens pieces. In the end, we went with just one. Sadak fans will know it! ;D

My Shoot Day of Sadak...

A few days after Samo went back to Switzerland, Sasa and some friends were planning a night out. I was still a bit down from my break-up, and hadn't really been out of the house. Sasa urged me to come out, get some air, meet new people. It would be my first time to this bar called Moble Olfe. Once there, I was not in the mood to stay. It was so crowded and I was still feeling a little scrupulous over how I should be feeling after the break-up.. after a few beers however, those scrupules went down the urinal along with all that beer!

To start a new story, (the one that can be interpreted in my book "No Die No Sore Lover") I did notice an interesting guy this night.. the one I am head over heals about in my book "No Die No Sore Lover". We met, bla blah, fell in love, yea yeah, planned to marry, etc and so on, and ended up photographing him wearing an older line from Sadak.

Fashion Documentation/Editoial of "Déranger"

2007-04-29T13:18:00.017-04:00

Bogomir Doringer is many things to me, but in this work that I photographed, Bogomir will always be someone who gave me a very good platform to be able to produce something that is well appreciated! At some moment, I was asked by Bogomir if I would like to photograph and interpret the filming of "Déranger", behind the scenes. "Déranger" is a concept by Bogomir that show's examples of alienation, isolation etc., in a public space, while, it just so happens, the subjects/models are wearing his latest collection for f/w07 in Paris during Fashion Week f/w '07. It was a very inspiring experience for me because it was the first actual artistic challenge for myself as a photographer, where I was pretty much free to interpret as I would like. After post work on the images, we (Bogomir and I) were invited to exhibit at Ideal Showroom in Berlin. From that, my images were published in a few independent mags, such as, Dong (Paris), Someone's Garden (Tokyo) and a few Serbian mags!
"You Wear It Well / Got A Minute?"
Here's a look at the finished project of the collaboration of the three minute video, "Deranger" by Bogomir and Avant16. WINNER of the 2nd Edition of "You Wear It Well/Got a Minute"

Studio 80: Amsterdam

After a few weeks had passed, and upon returning to Amsterdam from working in Paris, the promoter of club Studio 80, in Amsterdam, had proposed to Bogomir to install a kind of perfomance art piece. Bogomir agreed to this and decided that the idea, for him, would be to unintrusively and inconspicuously, while witholding announcement, introduced his "dolls" (as they have been ostentatiously labled by someone in Paris), to the crowd of clubbers, to capture their integration with them, and to have a reaction about this during the night. I followed the "dolls", photographing them during their "performance" and manipulated the images to show that even thought they were knowingly in and at a crowded club, by people who were there, that they were actually alone due to who (or what) they are or represent! To me, on this night, they were just another couple of "aliens" in a univers well know to many of us! ;D
www.bogomirdoringer.com/

Rude: Portraits of State

2006-12-12T00:53:00.018-05:00

black superman - 2001 , bobby collins
Photo by: Ruud van der Peijl
Fotomuseum Den Haag
- summer exhibition 2005 - Portraits of State - Photo Museum The Hague

black madonna - 2004 , nicky boulton-hooft & lauren hooft

At the end of his endeavor, Ruud organized an exhibit of some of the images at The SupperClub in Amsterdam, where my image had hung for a while.. unfortunately I wasn't around at the time to see it. Later on, I discovered that it was being placed, as a solo exhibit, at the Museum of Photography Den Haag 27 August – 13 November 2005, titled 'Ruud van der Peijl: Portraits of State'. It went further on to becoming a coffee table book with the title 'RUDE Portraits of State'. Only last year did I finally pick up my copy of the book from him at his place. It had just slipped my mind somehow! Hope it didn't seem "rude" because I love it! Bedankt Ruud!

Portraits of State is a Gesamtkunstwerk: an art work that creates an all-round environment for viewers to experience. Each of the portraits of more or less well-known subjects is of interest in its own right, but also functions as part of an installation. The visitor enters a distinguished residence in which the walls are hung with photographs, as if in a family portrait gallery. The installation is strongly theatrical in feeling, with ostentatious framing, red coconut matting on the floor, mirrored walls, dramatic lighting effects and subdued music. Van der Peijl’s background as a fashion designer, exhibition designer and stylist is clearly apparent.
Van der Peijl breathes new life into the neglected genre of the studio portrait.
Museum of Photography The Hague