Featured Artist: Willemieke Kars
Artist: Willemieke Kars
Location: Amsterdam
Instagram: @WillemiekeKars
My work focuses on social documentary and portraiture. Insecurities, doubts and discomfort are
starting points to create work. I use friction that arise from these emotions to tell stories that do not
fear confrontation and prejudice. Returning themes in my work include the position of women in
modern society and the role division between male and female. In my work I am always looking for
situations that refer to the identity and sexuality of women. As a photographer I work with a medium
format camera. This forces me to work slowly, methodically and requires a large amount of focus
from both myself and my models. I find shooting portraits both challenging and compelling, and I
enjoy my role working as the director, in full control of the scene. In it, every detail - from the
placement of the scenery to finding the perfect framing - are very important.
This work is about a female writer named ‘Bregje Hofstede’. This piece of work is a study of how you
should present yourself as a women. How can we combine intelligence and beauty without talking
about ostentation. It’s important to make the viewer question their own ideas about normalcy and
the borders of their frame of reference.
SFUK: Tell us a little about yourself and your background in photography.
WK: My name is Willemieke Kars (1989) and I’m a Amsterdam based photographer. I graduated in 2015 at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague.
My work focuses on social documentary and portraiture. Insecurities, doubts and discomfort are starting points to create work. I use frictions that arise from these emotions to tell stories that do not fear confrontation and prejudice. Returning themes in my work include the position of women in modern society and the role division between male and female.
SFUK: Why do you shoot film, have you always shot film & do you switch between digital and film?
WK: The reason I shoot film and photograph with a MamiyaRZ67 (midformat) is because I fell in love with the quality and the slow way of working. Sometimes is shoot digital for commercial jobs, but I'm always disappointed, I can't work how I like it.
SFUK: Who inspires you, any favourite people or places you frequently go to for inspiration?
WK:The work of Katy Grannan, Céline Sciamma, Dana Lixenberg, Julika Rudelius. I get inspiration from dreaming away on my bike, not necessarily without danger..
SFUK: How would you describe your style of shooting?
WK: As a photographer I worked with a medium format camera (MamiyaRZ67). This forces me to work slowly, methodically and requires a large amount of focus from both myself and my models. I find shooting portraits both challenging and compelling, and I enjoy my role working as the director, in full control of the scene. In it,every detail - from the placement of the scenery to finding the perfect framing - are very important.
SFUK: If you could have any camera in the world, which would you choose and why?
WK: The Fujifilm GF670 6x7. The cameras I work with are always really big, this one is nice and small and fit in mybag but still the same quality.
SFUK: Do you have any plans for your next project?
WK: At the moment I'm researching the masculine culture, I would like to travel to Japan.
Keep up to date with Willemieke's work on Instagram @WillemiekeKars
Thank you.
If you'd like to share your work in the Artist Features space, see the submission guidelines at the bottom of the Artist Features Page or contact ShootFilmUK by using the form at the bottom of the homepage.
