Unseen Amsterdam Photography Fair 2023

Sophie de Vos and Jan Theun van Rees are preparing for their duo presentation at this year’s edition of Unseen Amsterdam Photography Fair from September 21-24!

Their works complement each other very well, each offering very different perspectives - both visually and conceptually. During Unseen they will both present a selection of new works that show their most recent developments in their practices.

To take you along in the process, we decided to offer you some extra insights !

SOPHIE DE VOS
In essence, Sophie’s work revolves around the concept of human nature and the questions surrounding it. Subjects like transience, decay, loss and the passing of time play an important role in her practice. For human beings, these subjects are often emotionally charged, while in nature they are most common. Sophie shows and questions this contrast by creating photographic series in which the human body is accompanied by elements from nature. Contemplating about what it means to be human, inevitably leads to self reflection. Sophie’s work emphasises this in a very subtle way, combining living and non-living elements to capture the essence of the subject at hand. Doing so, she is able to ask questions, without looking for particular answers.

ON VIEW AT UNSEEN
On view at Unseen will be a selection of recent works as well as new creations. One of the series that Sophie has been working on is “I followed the footsteps of a stranger” which explores the concept of time - her main subject over the last few years. The passing of time, the decay that comes with it, the emotional weight it can carry.. However, nostalgia has never played a role in any of this, though it may have been appropriate. In her most recent works she plays into this element more, resulting in images that feel both familiar and mysterious.

“The only way to move on is to keep letting go” (2023) is one of Sophie’s most recent works. The idea for this project came about when Sophie found an old nightgown from her late grandmother. Although she never saw her grandmother in this nightgown, she was confronted with a nostalgic sense of familiarity beyond comprehension.

While capturing this intimate image, she noticed an intriguing play of light on the surface of the fabric which shifted her mind to other eras. The abundance of swirling fabrics with beautiful light and shadow areas in paintings from the Renaissance and the fabric draped elegantly over the floor in Roman sculptures. Sophie was fascinated by the ways in which well-known references from our collective visual memory could coincide with the little nostalgic memory her grandmother's nightgown evoked.

JAN THEUN VAN REES
With his art, Jan Theun focuses on the appearance of space as an image and the perception of that (visualised) space in relation to the space that surrounds us. While the space where we stand is defined by the walls that surround us, those walls do the same to the space on the other side. Just as the place of the cup on the table is related to the position of the table in the room; the room relates to the other spaces in the house, the house to the street, and so on.. In fact, all spaces around us are connected. With his photographic series he aims to visualise this connection. After documenting buildings for over a decade, his photographs gradually shifted from the representation of a space to visualising his personal perception of that space.

A few years ago Jan Theun began to build life-sized spaces after which he captured them in an image. Not hindered by any architectural knowledge or skill, Jan Theun follows a slow, intuitive and unpredictable process. During this process he regularly looks through the camera until the sensation of being in a place he has never been before sneaks up on him. Then, he takes the photo.

ON VIEW AT UNSEEN

Jan Theun will be showing new additions to his “Perforated Space” series. The works resulting from this series show a connection between interior spaces and the outside world; the known and the unknown; ourselves and our environment. This connection is emphasised through the material characteristics and the visualisation of spatial qualities.

Using material rescued from waste containers, Jan Theun constructed spaces where he plays with the light that streams in through many different openings. The surroundings in the picture plane offer a passage to a new unfamiliar reality. In this way, Jan Theun draws attention to the interaction between spaces that are apparently separated by walls, but are nevertheless closely connected.

Location Unseen 2023
Westergas Amsterdam
Klönneplein 1

Public opening days Unseen 2023
Friday 22 September 11.00 – 21.00
Saturday 23 September 11.00 – 19.00
Sunday 24 September 11.00 – 19.00

Yvonne de Jong12 August 2023