Description
• image code: SH204
• Palace Soestdijk
• exposure time ca. 2 months
• GPS location 52°11’47.2″N 5°16’35.9″E
Ever since the Dutch royal family has left Palace Soestdijk the building has been open to the public. Events and exhibits have been held in the garden on the grounds of the Palace. In 2016 an art show was organised by Anne van der Zwaag, an independent art agent in the Netherlands known from organising art fairs Object Rotterdam and Big Art. With a team of art and design enthousiasts, she baptised the event Bal! Soestdijk and brought together a group of artists from different backgrounds. Although I was not part of the group I was invited into the grounds to create long exposure photo’s. It was a special invitation as I could roam the area on my own and was allowed time to find my own story. I could wander around some of the rooms that not many people had been before, like the private cinema of the royal family.
In one of the halls I found a picture of the staff of the house, taken about the time of 1930’s. In the picture a young lady is holding a small camera box, similar to the one I was going to take my images with. I found my story. This connection and the thought that this staff, this young lady had a privilege to walk in and out of hidden rooms is something I wanted to explore
The photograph was taken with expired film from the 1980’s in a Kodak Box camera from the 1930’s. I love the surprising graininess and colours this approach produces, it really takes us to a different time and place.
Extra info
The illustration is printed onto Hahnemühle Natural Line Fine Art Paper based on hemp and using the Epson Sure Color Printing technique.
