Maarten van Schaik

‘I am fascinated by anonymity and abandonment. I move through the world in search of anonymity and try to capture what others do not see. My work is not about pure registration, but has a strong connection to painting, poetry and music. The subjects I photograph remain covered, but reveal an indefinable, distant reality, where dream and reality merge. Through the various drawing and painting techniques I apply to my photographs, the work feels like it was made in a self-contained time; a diffuse no-man’s-land in which persons and objects wander around without a clear purpose. That purpose is left for the viewer to unravel for themselves.’ Since graduating from the Rietveld Academy in 1997, Maarten has developed a unique photography style. His work originates during long walks on the border between nature and city. He has worked in places such as Las Vegas, Yellowstone, Bangkok, London, Lanzarote, Amsterdam, Historic Route 66 and Normandy.