In the molt
2026
 
Giclée print on Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl paper.
Size 30x19 cm without white border.
 
Maarten van Schaik is strongly drawn to the ideas of anonymity and independence. As he moves through the world, he searches for a form of invisibility – a state in which he can efface himself in order to capture what takes place beyond the attention of others. His work is not concerned with a factual registration of reality. Rather, he seeks an affinity with the free flow of painting and music. The subjects he photographs often remain concealed, while at the same time revealing an elusive reality – a world in which the boundary between dream and reality is constantly shifting, and in which time seems to dissolve.
 
In the work "In the molt", Maarten combines road trip photography, portrait photography and fragments from old Creative Commons films to create an initial image. He prints this image very small on ordinary copy paper, allowing small imperfections in the distribution of the ink to become visible. This creates a distinctive grain, reminiscent of that of an 8mm film strip. He then applies pastel and paint to the print, further intensifying the sense of estrangement. Finally, he makes a full-frame reproduction, transforming the altered image back into a photograph. The process of printing, altering and re-photographing thus forms an essential part of his way of seeing and working.
 
Maarten continuously experiments with new materials and approaches in order to create unexpected images. At the same time, he strives to remain true to his original way of seeing – a way of looking that might best be described as making the seemingly unreal tangible.
 
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