MEES PEIJNENBURG
Name: Mees Peijnenburg
Age: 31
Birthplace: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Home: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Discipline: Film and Photography
Tristan & Barry, 2021, analog photography collage
How did you develop as an artist?
It all started with skateboarding. As I was not very good at it, I started to film and take pictures of my friends. I discovered this big love and interest for film and photography, and basically never stopped. I studied at the Netherlands Film Academy, and have been making short !lms, music videos, one feature !lm and dierent kinds of photoshoots ever since.
Is there any conductive line in your work?
I can see a pattern whereby I go from a topic to a part, which reacts to the previous one in several of my projects. For instance, my first feature film Paradise Drifters tells the story of three young parentless and homeless people. While working on that research, I met several young men working as sex workers in Amsterdam. I wanted to incorporate these conversations into Paradise Drifters, but I also felt that such a subject was too important to be simply touched upon. I therefore started a photography series, which led to a project called Payboy.
How do you de!ne your artistic search and practice in three words?
Trust, freedom, love.
How do you consider your work in relation to current societal issues?
I am very interested in current societal issues. It feeds me creatively, but I am always careful because a project can quickly become pedantic. In all of my work, I try to keep an open mind and free interpretation of the world.
What kind of approach towards ‘aesthetics’ does your work provide?
I’m always experimenting with new aesthetics, in search of the right chemistry between people. All my projects are based on mutual trust. The picture presented here shows two long-term friends. I collaborated very closely with them, taking pictures in the intimacy of their bedroom, looking for the postures that could express the chemistry between them.
What kind of beauty does your work focus on?
The beautiful spirits of the human kind.
What does being an artist mean in your opinion today?
It means so much. We have to keep learning, get inspired, get influenced and feel empowered by artists who surround us. I think artists are the necessary fuel to keep transgressive movements going. Without artists, life would behold a completely different cultural depth, challenge or existence. I feel privileged to be able to translate and express my feelings through my work.
What do you want people to feel in front of your work?
It is my biggest joy if they feel touched, seen, heard, and moved.