- Can you tell us a bit more about the project ‘Re-preserving memories of Suriname’?

Re-preserving Memories of Suriname is a series about childhood memories and how time has become something subjective. Surinam has played a major role in life and how I look at things, like nature and social life. The series has not been an attempt to provide an objective portrayal of the place, but rather something that comes as close as possible to what the place does to our experience of time and space. Being there is relatively eventless, not much happens. It really forces you to wind down and accept the fact that being there is very different from my day-to-day life in De Jordaan in Amsterdam. When you sit in a chair in the garden, or lay in a hammock, and watch the garden and house for hours from the same perspective, everything becomes rather abstract. A tree might just be a tree when you pass it, watching it for an hour straight does something to it.

Being there alters our perception of time. We are forced to live with the rhythm of nature. Living in the anthropocene, we’ve gotten used to the idea that we can manipulate and alter the world we live in (including time). Seeing nature change over time forces us to take a step back and experience how nature progresses over time. The effect of spending time in nature, and forcing yourself to experience a lack of stimulus, resets and refreshes our perception of the world around us.

I started to manipulate that material in a way that it, for me, comes as close as possible to how I experienced the place. That means re-framing the material, trying to focus on small things within the bigger whole and see what happens. I’ve decided to publish the series in black and white as it emphasizes the lack of triggers.

- Can you tell us a bit more about your process for this project?

Not only being physically present but also mentally engaged was essential for this project. It was crucial for me not just to shoot Re-preserving Memories of Suriname on film, but to use medium-format film with a fully manual camera. This approach compelled me to embrace the idea of slowing down, carefully focusing the camera, and taking my time with each shot. In many ways, my method was the antithesis of the quick and flexible style often associated with street photography.

The project was completed over three weeks, during which I shot fewer than two hundred photographs. I have never worked as consciously as I did on this project. I recall that it took me several days before I even took the first shot—it was vital to unwind and immerse myself fully before beginning. From that point onward, I limited myself to no more than ten shots per day.

After returning to Amsterdam, I began reviewing the material. This marked a new phase of the process: reframing certain images, highlighting details, and, in a sense, re-experiencing the place. Spending time at the house often involved gazing into the distance or focusing on small details for extended periods. I hope that the work presented here conveys the subjective experience of gazing and the sensation of time slowing down.

- How would you describe your work?  

I hadn’t been working for some time, and this project gave me the opportunity to begin developing my own visual language. It represents just the beginning of that journey. For now, I hope my work conveys a sense of being consciously crafted—perhaps even appearing staged at times, though it is not—and evokes the feeling of gazing thoughtfully at the world around us.

Moving forward, I plan to continue focusing on projects that explore people’s relationships with their surroundings. My next project will take place in Morocco, hopefully this summer, where I aim to document a youth hangout in Casablanca.

- What does photography mean to you?

For me, photography is more of a means than an end in itself. I am not necessarily fascinated by the technical aspects of photography; instead, it serves as a compelling excuse to explore topics, relationships, or situations that interest me. In addition to photography, I work on ecological and social issues, and I see photography as an extension of this work.

Re-preserving Memories of Suriname has been an exploration of how that place shapes the experiences of those who inhabit it. This approach is what I plan to carry forward in my project in Morocco. Like other forms of art, photography is a tool to bring attention to specific aspects of the world we live in.

- What camera and film are you using? And why?

Re-preserving Memories of Suriname was shot entirely using a Pentax 67 with Kodak Portra 400, Portra 800, Portra 100, and Ilford Delta 400 film. Slowing down my workflow by using the bulky Pentax 67 helped me capture the sense and essence of the place in the photographs—or at least, that’s what I hope it achieved.

For my upcoming project, I’m considering adding a Pentax 67II to my equipment, as you can never predict when a camera might fail.

- Which other photographers, designers, artists or creative people are you loving at the moment?

Someone I really must mention here, and who has also been highlighted in Zaptronic, is Mauro Curti. His approach to documenting places has been a true example and inspiration for me. What captivates me most is his way of involving people in the process of documenting places.

Another photographer who has done something completely different but has undoubtedly sparked my love for the medium is Hadar Pitchon. His portraits are nothing short of genius.

Lately, considering everything happening in the world, I’ve been paying more attention to photographers who have, and often still are, putting their lives at risk to tell important stories. In particular, someone like Sakir Khader stands out to me.