In the lead-up to the opening of the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Pakhuis Santos on 7 February 2026, five artists present their work on digital screens throughout the city and at Pakhuis Santos. The project explores the changing meaning of photography at a time when images increasingly reach us through unnatural light sources such as screens. '(Un)Natural Light' is realized in collaboration with blowUP media as part of their initiative 'Museum Moments', which makes art visible in the public realm in an accessible way.
The term photography is derived from the Greek phōs (light) and graphein (to write): writing with light. While photography for centuries revolved around capturing natural light, today the medium is primarily experienced through digital carriers. In (Un)Natural Light, this shift takes center stage. The participating artists operate at the intersection of photography and moving image, each depicting in their own way the relationship between nature, technology, and perception.
Pakhuis Santos
At the entrances of Pakhuis Santos, works by Annegien van Doorn and Hans van der Meer are shown on two projection screens.
Annegien van Doorn (1982) presents Farewell (2022), a meditative video work in which a bouquet of flowers slowly moves against a black background. The work emerged from her fascination with human-made nature and is part of her project Biophilia. Farewell has not previously been shown in the Netherlands.
Hans van der Meer (1955) presents De Metende Mens (2025), a moving photograph in which two employees of knowledge institute Deltares measure the boundary between fresh and salt water in the Anna Paulownapolder. Through image and text, Van der Meer makes a complex and abstract subject accessible and personal.
In the city
At three locations in Rotterdam (De Koopgoot, the Markthal, and Alexandrium Shopping Center), works by Helmut Smits, Kim Boske, and misha de ridder are on view.
Helmut Smits (1974) presents short, powerful video works including A Perfect Fall, Here Comes the Sun, and Cursor. With humor and sharpness, he reflects on everyday situations and invites passersby to look at their surroundings from a different perspective.
Kim Boske (1978) presents Moving Flowers and Untitled Flowers, in which nature, art history, and personal observation converge. By combining layers of time, space, and image, works emerge at the boundary of photography and video, in which nature and culture enter into dialogue with one another.
The work of misha de ridder (1971) consists of fragments from his so-called slow cinematics. In works such as KEF AMS, nightingale, and epilog, the viewer observes clouds, landscapes, and borders for extended periods of time. His contemplative images invite attentive looking and raise questions about perception, reality, and illusion.
With thanks to: blowUP media, Paradox, TAUW Foundation, and Mondriaan Fonds.