Tussen land en lucht
'Between Land and Sky' is the Groningen and seventh edition in a series of twelve exhibitions by De Mix Nederland. Each edition uses historical photography as a source of inspiration by contemporary Dutch photographers. An initiative of Beeldmix foundation together with NS, ProRail and Museum aan de A at the invitation of Noorderlicht Photo Festival. With the two exhibition locations: Museum aan de A and NS railway station Groningen.
Jacob Molenhuis built a home annex bicycle store and workshop next to his parents’ house in Kruisweg in 1923. He furnished the attic floor as a photo studio including a darkroom. For half a century Molenhuis was one of the few photographers in the northwest of Groningen. For that reason, many local residents posed in front of his camera: from farm workers to school teachers. But he did not only make portraits. He also captured buildings, agricultural machinery and even a cat nailed to the barn door. Until old age, Molenhuis remained a bicycle mechanic and photographer. Throughout his entire career, he worked with the same second-hand plate camera. He died at the age of almost 93 and is buried with his wife Nieskje de Vries in Hornhuizen. Some of those negatives were preserved and are part of the National Archives/Collection Spaarnestad. David Vroom portrayed the area where Jacob Molenhuis photographed for half a century. To respond to Molenhuis’ work and provide a new time image of the region to which Molenhuis and felt connected. Author Rianne Denissen is writing the exhibition text.
Kees van der Meiden, Director Noorderlicht: ‘The wonderful Image Mix project offers the opportunity to pair a photographer of yesteryear with a fellow professional of the up-and-coming generation. David Vroom is an excellent choice for this. His vision of the Groningen landscape, which moves existing frames of mind, fits perfectly with the mission of Noorderlicht, platform for contemporary observation. Museum aan de A, next to the railway station, is an excellent place for this. We consider ourselves fortunate that this beautiful museum is a permanent and loyal partner! ‘
Jacob Molenhuis (1894-1987)
Jacob Molenhuis was a local photographer and bicycle maker in the Marne region of northwestern Groningen. He was one of the few photographers, in fact the only one for more than half a century, in that agricultural area at a time when few people had access to a camera of their own. Whether you were a letter carrier or a school teacher, a farm worker or a peddler, for a portrait, often needed for an official document, local residents went to Molenhuis. From 1916, when he began his photographic work in Kruisweg near Kloosterburen, until the end of 1972, Jacob Molenhuis worked with the same second-hand plate camera, continuing to use glass negatives until the very end. Some of those negatives were preserved and are part of the Spaarnestad Collection in the National Archives.
David Vroom (1987)
The work of David Vroom (1987) advocates sincerity. Within the chosen moment of stillness between photographer and photographed, the image asks questions about who we are and how we shape our lives. He portrays the identity of a community by photographing people and their surroundings. Calmness and integrity in his images are of great importance. In the moment of calmness, a degree of concentration emerges that allows the person portrayed to become the focal point in a personal way.
Beeldmix Foundation
The foundation Beeldmix aims to stimulate the development of contemporary Dutch photography and film and wishes to keep alive the collections or related media of historical Dutch photographers. They do this by producing exhibitions, symposia, publications and films and installations. They invite contemporary photographers, project organizations and performing agencies to participate in these activities.