Parade

The surreal objects pictured within Parade make a strange contrast to the people that brought them to life: the Dutch, known for their sober-mindedness, as reflected in the neat and well-organised environment that characterises their country. With this typical Dutch environment acting as a backdrop, the decorated vehicles or ‘floats’, come across as a silent protest against conformity. They are, however, a product of the same sober-mindedness and careful planning skills that shaped the very landscape with which they seem to contradict.

Parades are no rarity within the Netherlands, with over five hundred annual parades, they play an important role within many communities. Constructing a single float takes months of planning and intensive group labour, all leading up to the sparse hours in which they eventually are towed through the streets. In a growing individualistic society, it brings and binds people together, showing the universal need of people to unite. The floats are of great beauty (I’d like to refer to them as temporary artworks), however, the real beauty can be found in the perseverance with which they are made.

Photobook

Exhibitions