vita

'hendrik kerstens did not train formally as an artist. however, he wished to devote himself to a more creative profession and in 1995, at the age of forty, he left the business world and took up photography. his wife anna worked full time to support this change of direction. in a reversal of more traditional roles, kerstens cared for their young daughter paula, while also studying photography during the day. having a child left a deep impression on kerstens. through photography, he explored the accompanying feelings of responsibility, vulnerability and love he felt towards his daughter, starting with documentary family snapshots.
as paula physically and psychologically grew, kerstens searched for an artistic manifestation of these changes, leading to his interpretations of the great dutch master painters of the 17th century with paula as his muse.'

excerpt from an essay by martin barnes, victoria and albert museum, london

hendrik kerstens, 1956, the hague, the netherlands
lives and works in amsterdam, the netherlands

collections

gund private collection – boston – usa
special collections of the leuven university – leuven – be
special collections of the leiden university library – leiden – nl
santa barbara museum of art – santa barbara – usa
collezione arte di magda e carlo clerici – it
museum of photography – the hague – nl
rijksuniversiteit utrecht – utrecht – nl
zuiderzee museum – enkhuizen – nl
mopa museum of photographic art – san diego – usa
art collection erasmus university – rotterdam – nl
21st century museum – louisville kentucky – usa
amsterdam museum – amsterdam – nl
pilara family foundation collection – san francisco – usa
the sir elton john photography collection – london – uk
the caldic collection / museum voorlinden – wassenaar – nl
the alexander mcqueen collection – london – uk
the sanders collection – amsterdam – nl
la neuflize vie collection – paris – fr

galleries

Bildhalle
Representation in Europe
Amsterdam and Zurich
T 00 31 (0)20 808 8805
info@bildhalle.nl
www.bildhalle.ch

danziger gallery
new york
t 00 1 212 629 6778
info@danzigergallery.com
danzigergallery.com

jenkins johnson gallery
representation in west coast usa
san francisco
t 00 1 415 677 0770
sf@jenkinsjohnsongallery.com
jenkinsjohnsongallery.com

mark dean - dean project
representation in latin america, middle east and australia
miami
t 00 1 800 791 0830
info@deanproject.com
deanproject.com

haw contemporary
representation in central usa
Kansas City
T 00 1 816 842 5877
mail@hawcontemporary.com
hawcontemporary.com

awards

2013
11th annual lucie awards – winner best fashion layout of the year for “the modern master piece” by harpers’ bazaar us

2010
lead award silver medal – porträtfotografie des jahres for “paula, porträts meiner tochter, die nacht nr. 5”

2010
"beste plakette des jahres" for the bayerische staatsoper by the münchener plakatjury – posters for don giovanni and lucrezia borghia

2008
the taylor wessing photographic portrait prize by the national portrait gallery, london

2001
the panl award of the netherlands

various

2023
Interview - PF Magazine - ‘Hendrik and Paula Kerstens: Self-reflective’
Article - Trouw 09-06-2023
Article - Parool 24-04-2023
Interview - Noord-Hollands Dagblad 05-04-2023
Article - Tableau Magazine - Stories: Hendrik and Paula Kerstens

2022
interview – collectors agenda – 'in the studio'
television interview – deutsche welle euromaxx – 'in the footsteps of the old masters'
interview – womankind – 'unintentional purpose'

2021
lecture – offshoot photography society dublin
interview – de volkskrant

2020
article – the low countries – 'when painting and photography merge into one'
interview – atelier 08 – 'portrait of a lady'
article – septentrion 02/2020 – 'faire fusionner photographie et peinture'
editor's letter – harper's bazaar us

2019
benefit auction – yipart
cover – sotheby's contemporary photographs – new york
article – the photography ideas book by lorna yablsey – tate modern – 'mimic the masters'
le figaro – portrait of florian von donnersmarck
booklet – salzburger festspiele
cover – articulate #18
the new yorker – portrait of florian von donnersmarck
article – in perspectief a.s.r. magazine – de kunstkeuze

2018
review – art monthly australasia – october issue 311
cover – de wereld in jezelf by nina polak – prometheus
article – the courier australia – 'these photographers are recognised as among the world's best'
interview – elle decor – 'going dutch master'
the new york times magazine – portrait of jacques audiard
benefit auction – AFMI
article – the baltimore sun – 'this is one of the most striking pieces in patrick sutton's fells point home'

2017
cover – barton zeitungsmagazin
benefit auction – yipart
article – huffington post – 'a breath of fresh air'
article – the west australian – 'light reveals secrets'
online portfolio – all about photo.com

2016
article – shutterstock.com – '100 top photographers from around the world'
article – maison objets, house of cards – 'inventer un maximalisme joyeux'
cover – artmapp
cover – brand eins
lecture – mopa museum of photographic art – collectors' salon
cover – the penguin book of dutch short stories
lecture – musée de penthes switzerland
lecture – university of leuven – 'silent conversations'
cover – lyon people
interview – max joseph (bayerische staatsoper) – 'wass ist das mass in der kunst?'
cover – sf arts monthly – 'portraiture from around the world'
interactive education project – educaixa.com – 'cómo cogerá el objeto'

2015
lecture – 'model and muse' at the mopa museum of photographic arts san diego usa
cover – new york cottages and gardens
film – 'le testament d'alexander mcqueen' – documentary by loïc prigent
lecture – kasteel duivenvoorde – nationaal portrettenweekend
artnet – 5 artists to watch

2014
opening edition hotel london – by marriott and ian schrager
tv – 'kunstuur' – re-opening of the mauritshuis in the hague
new york times magazine – portrait of tavi

2013
harpers' bazaar us – 'the modern masterpiece' with fashion editor joanna hillman
article – wall street journal – 'shadows of our former selves' by william meyers
cover – artnews – 'playing with vermeer'
article – next libération – 'le sac plastic c'est de l'art' by dominic poiret
l'oeil de la photographie – 'paula, ma fille ma muse'
tv – de gouden eeuw – the price of art – with jan six, johnny van haeften
flavorwire – '15 exciting contemporary photographers you need to watch'

2012
poster – cité de la musique – paris
cover image – 'about face' for pier 24 los angeles – an exhibition with richard avedon and diane arbus
poster – amsterdam museum – 'the golden century – breeding ground of our world'

2011
cover – art chronika – russia

2010
cover – the british journal of photography
lecture – leiden rijks universiteit – faculty of art
cover – london sunday times – spectrum

2009
posters – bayerische staatsoper for the performances of l'elisir d'amore, die tragödie des teufels, dialogues des carmélites, cenerentola, medea in corinto, don giovanni, lucrezia borghia and tosca
alexander mcqueen's show autumn 2009 'horn of plenty'

2008
cover – domus italy

2007
new york times magazine – first portrait assignment
american photo
le monde

2006
le figaro

2005
the guardian

publications

2023
Self-Reflective | Hendrik & Paula Kerstens, Maartje van den Heuvel, WBooks, ISBN 9789462585577

2022
l'étoffe des flamands – catalogue musée de tessé le mans ISBN 9789461617996

2021
becoming famous – catalogue staatsgalerie stuttgart ISBN 9783954986521

2020
article 'faire fusionner photographie et peinture' by hendrik and paula kerstens published in septentrion 02/2020

2019
tate – the photography ideas book by lorna yabsley ISBN 9781781576663

2018
de wereld in jezelf – de nederlandse en vlaamse literatuur van de 21ste eeuw in 60 essays by nina polak ISBN 9789044638943
why you like this photo – the science of perception, and how we understand photographs by brian dilg ISBN 9781781573747

2017
harper's bazaar 150 years – the greatest moments ISBN 9781419723940
reload! tracht. kunst. mode – catalogue museum kunst der westküste ISBN 9783804214750

2016
the penguin book of dutch short stories ISBN 9780141395722

2015
essay 'american beauty' by author joost zwagerman published in 'de stilte van het licht' ISBN 9789029589888
salon 2015 – das magazin zu den salzburger festspielen ISBN 9783903069008

2013
paula – silent conversations ISBN 9781419710643
21st century portraits – a compendium of the national portrait gallery ISBN 9789029589888

2012
portrayal betrayal – photographic portraits from the permanent collection santa barbara museum of art ISBN 9780899511146

2011
dutch seen – new york rediscovered – published by the museum of the city of new york and foam amsterdam ISBN 9789490022037
the new york times magazine photographs – published by aperture ISBN 9781597111461

2010
paula ISBN 9789078964384

exhibitions

2024
Angers - Musees d’Angers - l’Etoffe des Flamands [jun 12 - sep 22]
London - Photo London - Bildhalle [may 16 - 19]
San Diego - Museum of Photographic Arts - Picture This: Recent Acquisitions [apr 4 - aug 4]

2023
Art Miami - Miami [dec 5 - 10]
Amsterdam - PAN - RAI [nov 19 - 26]
Sweden - The Royal Armoury - [sep - dec '23]
Sweden - Skokloster Castle - Great Dutch Master Paintings Revisited [june 8 - aug 31]
Den Haag - Kunstmuseum Den Haag - Groeipijn [feb 18 - jun 4]
hilversum – museum hilversum – hendrik & paula kerstens: self reflective [apr 8 – jun 25]


2022
miami – art miami [nov 29 – dec 4]
amsterdam – pan – rai [nov 19 – 27]
paris – paris photo – grand palais [oct 10 - 13]
nanterre – theatre nanterre-amandiers – 'richard II' [may 31 – dec 31]
brussels – art brussels [apr 28 – may 1]
san diego – museum of photographic arts – 'legacy: larry friedman collection' [apr 16 – sep 11]


2021
nanterre – theatre nanterre-amandiers – lobby [oct 6 – may 31 '22]
stuttgart – staatsgalerie – 'things matter. a new look at old master portraits' [oct 22 – feb 20 '22]

2020
paris – musée des arts décoratifs – 'harper's bazaar, premier magazine de mode' [feb 28 – jan 3 '21]
savannah – telfair museums – 'youthful adventures: growing up in photography' [sep 18 – apr 18 '21]

2019
miami – art miami [dec 3 – 8]
amsterdam – pan amsterdam [nov 24 – dec 1]
darwin – darwin entertainment centre – 'kerstens and olaf exhibition' [jul 15 – aug 16]
london – photo london [may 16 – 19]
tilburg – textielmuseum – 'black & white' [mar 23 – mar 1 '20]
los angeles – photo la [jan 31 – feb 3]
miami – palm beach modern + contemporary [jan 10 – 13]

2018
miami – pulse art fair [dec 6 – 9]
ballarat international foto biennale – craigs royal hotel – 'olaf/kerstens exhibition' [nov 10 – feb 24]
sankt gallen – textilmuseum – 'lace and status' [oct 26 – feb 10]
cairns – cairns art gallery – 'kerstens + olaf' [aug 24 – oct 7]
haifa – haifa museum of art – 'shop it!' [jul 22 – jan 20]
flensburg – museumsberg flensburg – 'aus neu macht alt' [jul 1 – oct 21]
basel – photo basel – flatland gallery [jun 12 – 17]
san francisco – jenkins johnson gallery – 'spring selections' [mar 22 – may 12]
brisbane – qut art museum – 'portray and play' [jan 6 – feb 4]

2017
knokke – kunstgalerij de mijlpaal – 'retrospective' [nov 25 – feb 25]
canberra – anu school of arts – 'dutch contemporary photography' [oct 14 – 27]
alkersum – museum kunst der westküste – 'reload!' [sep 17 – jan 1]
akron ohio – akron art museum – 'serial intent' / 'family' [jun 3 – sept 10]
basel – photo basel – flatland gallery [jun 13 – 18]
perth – center of photography – 'a narrative of light and shadow' – with erwin olaf [jun 8 – july 9]
kuwait – sultan gallery – 'blue nights' [may 23 – jun 8]
caen – musée des beaux-arts de caen – 'ce qui est là' [may 19 – sept 10]
new york – aipad [mar 30 - apr 2]
paris – art paris [mar 30 - apr 2]
ann arbor – umma museum of michigan – 'victors of art' [feb 18 – jun 11]
adelaide – fringe festival [feb 18 – mar 18]
adelaide – sasa gallery of art – 'a narrative of light and shadow' – with erwin olaf [feb 17 – mar 17]
mannheim – reiss-engelhorn museum with kunsthistorisches museum wien – ‘barock, nur schöner schein’ [ – feb 17]
leiden – galerie lumc – 'vele gezichten' [ – jan 22]
west palm beach – beach modern & contemporary fair [jan 12 – jan 15]
genk – hasselt – cultuurcentrum – TM trademarks [ – jan 8]

2016
melbourne – monash gallery of art – 'a narrative of light and shadow' with erwin olaf
miami – art miami – scope
chicago – international exposition of contemporary and modern art
genève – musée des penthes – 'rembrandt à genève, quand les pays-bas rencontrent la suisse'
seattle – art fair
san diego – mopa museum of photography – 'the beauty and the beast'
london – photo london
san francisco – jenkins johnson – 'portraiture'
sydney – 'head on' photo festival
brussels – art brussels
new york – aipad
sydney – custom house – 'a narrative of light and shadow' – with erwin olaf
karlsruhe – art karlsruhe

2015
san diego – mopa museum of photography – 'model and muse'
duivenvoorde – castle duivenvoorde – national portrait weekend
bergen aan zee – museum kranenborgh – 'silence out loud' – curator author joost zwagerman
amsterdam – rademakers gallery – solo
auckland – whangarei art museum – 'a narrative of light and shadow' – with erwin olaf
london – photo london
new york – danziger gallery – wonderful lies
boston – barbara krakow gallery
amsterdam – kunstrai
miami – pulse
san francisco – fog design & art fair
amsterdam – pan
kuwait – sultan gallery – 'still' – with robert polidori

2014
toronto – mocco museum of contemporary canadian art – 'identity: material self – performing the other within'
amsterdam – continental amstel hotel – 'special portraits'
paris – paris photo
ijsselstein – ijsselstein museum – 'ongekend kant'
miami – pulse
san jose – san jose museum of art – 'post-portrait'
wellington – 30upstairs – 'dutchdayz'

2013
beijing – art beijing
miami – pulse
moscow – the moscow art fair
the hague – gemeentemuseum – 'photo as figure'
paris – paris photo la
amsterdam – amsterdam museum – 'the amsterdam art station'
nijmegen – museum het valkhof – 'extended photography
new york – danziger gallery – summer selections
nizhny novgorod – national centre for contemporary arts – 'paula'
moscow – central house of artists – 'paula'
boston – barbara krakow gallery
amsterdam – pan
new york – aipad
los angeles – paris photo at the paramount picture studios
st petersburg – errata museum – 'paula'
kansas city – kansas city art institute
new york – danziger gallery – solo
oberhausen – ludwig galerie schloss oberhausen 'hair! das haar in der kunst'

2012
new york – museum of the city of new york – 'dutch art now'
miami – pulse
san francisco – pier 24 – 'about face'
paris – paris photo
amsterdam – amsterdam museum – 'golden century – the birthplace of our world'
brussels – foto fever
london – embassy of the netherlands – 'reconnaissance – dutch collectors'
new york – aipad
the hague – gemeentemuseum – 'miniature museum'
dresden – das deutsche hygiene museum – 'auf leben und tod - das ganze leben – das mensch in malerei und fotografie'
santa barbara museum of art – 'portrait photography in the age of instagram'

2011
san francisco – pier 24 – the fisher collectio
paris – paris photo
miami – pulse in the ice palace studios

2010
cologne – wallraf-richartz museum – teutloff collection – 'auf leben und tod – do or die'
santa fe – charlotte jackson fine art – 'self and family ... a recent look'
the hague – museum of photography – 'fotografie! special collection of the university of leiden'
new york – national arts club – 15 gramercy park – 'dutch art now'

2009
new york – museum of the city of new york – 'dutch seen, new york rediscovered' – with foam amsterdam
los angeles – la art fair
london – london international art fair
enkhuizen – zuiderzee museum – 'gejaagd door de wind' 'gone with the wind'

2008
london – national portrait gallery
kansas city – byron cohen gallery
berlin – white square gallery – 'reminiscence'
buenos aires – arteba
louisville – 21c museum

2007
basel – scope
new york – diva
brescia – expo 07 arte
bogota – artbo
brussels – art brussels
puerto rico – san juan – 'circa'

2006
new york – scope
paris – paris photo
rotterdam – art rotterdam – 'family view'
berlin – berliner liste
amsterdam – art amsterdam
rotterdam – eur erasmus university – 'nieuw'
london – michael hoppen gallery – 'eleven contemporaries'

miami – scope

2005
the hague – gemeentemuseum
london – photo london
amsterdam – pan
rotterdam – art rotterdam
naarden – vintage photo – 'paula pictures'

2003
naarden – fotofestival naarden
amsterdam – foam in the vondelpark

contact

studio@hendrikkerstens.nl

for owners of works by hendrik kerstens –
enquiries are welcome

for buyers of works by hendrik kerstens –
every work has an edition number
each print includes a certificate of authenticity with a fingerprint