AN EMPTY SPACE SUSTAINS LIFE | photography/mixed media

This project explores the hidden potential of overlooked urban spaces in Arnhem. Through photography and mixed media, I transform everyday locations into layered visual narratives. Drawn to the unknown, I turned my focus to public spaces in my hometown- photographing, studying, and reshaping them. These places, often passed by unnoticed, reveal their value through stillness and close observation. This series blends research and experiment, exploring shifts in perspective, scale, and medium to reimagine the urban landscape.

Approach & material

My moodboard features earthy tones: green, grey, blue, and brown. Inspiration came from places like parking garages where concrete, textures, and traces of use define the atmosphere. I captured how light enters these raw spaces, even in a crowded city.

I approached real environments as blank canvases. For example, I photographed a window at Arnhem’s Duivelshuis. This image (1) was digitally abstracted (2) and used as a reference for a pencil drawing (3)- Transforming observation into interpretation.

Slide 1: Original photo Duivelshuis Arnhem Slide 2. Edit Slide 3. Drawing

I also used cyanotype (coating paper with light-sensitive chemicals) to create deep blue prints. These were further edited digitally, bringing out textures and colours inspired by rough concrete and traces of time.

Another method involved printing on beige paper with a basic home printer, masking areas with tape, or inverting colors. Despite the simplicity of the tools, the results were unexpectedly striking.

Reconstruction & scale

In later stages I transformed the spaces. Using collage, combining 2D and 3D elements, and using both soft and hard materials- sometimes including textiles. By photographing these small works (often A5 or smaller) with a macro lens, they take on a monumental, spatial quality.