CHAPTER ONE
I began as a professional dreamer. I studied the beautiful Dutch clouds during school.
Besides dreaming, I daily played the piano for hours, sang, composed, followed acting
lessons, loved the stage, was into sports and wrote in my personal notebook during the nights.
When I was 18 years old I entered dramaschool in Amsterdam,
but it turned out that that was too much drama. I changed the stage for television,
acting for presenting and had my own television program for children.
Then I hooked up with the wrong marine and grew up.
CHAPTER TWO
When I was 28 years old, a friend asked me to look after his camera for a day.
That seemed fun, because I’d never made a photo before.
I walked around town and started to capture what I observed.
It was a magical moment to realize that my love for observing, my view
on the world, my many interests could be expressed in a visual image.
From that day on photography was my complete existence.
I signed up for Fine Art studies in Holland.
CHAPTER THREE
In 2012 I found a book about life in the Daitoku-ji, zen buddhist temple in Kyoto.
It was my introduction to zen buddhism and Kyoto.
Even though I’d never meditated before, I strongly felt that I had to go to Kyoto
and meditate in the same temple as in the book, and so I did.
I found a University nearby the Daitoku-ji temple where I could follow
analogue photography class and where they could teach me how to make
washi paper (I have a paper fetish).
CHAPTER FOUR
I was reborn in the Daitoku-ji zen temple in Kyoto. After meditation I walked into the bamboo forest
and recognised things I never saw before. The moment I felt one with nature,
I picked up my camera and started to photograph.
These are my ongoing zen series ‘Liminal‘.
After Kyoto there was Tokyo. It was love at first sight.
In a shady love hotel I started the series about sexuality from a female perspective.
I Promise not to fall in Love with you (2012-2017).
From 2015 I combine naked with nature. Examples are:
Sisters– work title.
Marije ter Weele