Ellen Kooi (1962) was born in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. She attended the Art Academy ABK Minerva in Groningen and has been a resident of the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam. She lives and works in Haarlem, the Netherlands. Ellen has been in numerous exhibitions worldwide and her work can be found in various private and public collections.
The large-scale panoramic photographs by Ellen Kooi challenge viewers to see the world as a dramatic narrative and seek the border between fantasy and reality. Same as I trying to create with my photographs taken in studio just with a different purposes.
The large-scale panoramic photographs by Ellen Kooi challenge viewers to see the world as a dramatic narrative and seek the border between fantasy and reality. Same as I trying to create with my photographs taken in studio just with a different purposes.
She’s photographs are more like stories created on camera when usually the main subjects are often young girls or boys, fitting together perfectly - creating a dramatic and poetic scene mainly the Dutch landscape.
Through numerical manipulation, the artist manages create almost surrealistic palette which disturbs the otherwise almost perfect landscape.
Kooi situates people in natural settings and through distinct technical feats creates narratives that recall fairy tales, movies and dreams.
As I read using a large format camera, she sets up elaborate lighting to create a set within the natural landscape. She stages the character to dramatize and bring into focuses the moods and stories of the scenes being created. Every photograph tell a story; some are absurd, some are mysterious and some are magical.
Hours of setting control over lighting and arrangement of her subjects are part of each photograph.
Compere to my work all E.Kooi photographs are very bright and sharp, you can hardly see any manipulation process. All chosen objects and surroundings create perfect landscape - the streams that flow calmly between verdant banks and the wooded areas with their neatly-planted rows of trees. In this tranquillity occur some events that are mysterious and playful, but somehow manages to calm the entire scene.
I very much like Kooi`s idea, something what I wanted to achieve, but unfortunately wasn’t lucky with wheatear conditions over a Spring. Mainly my project photos consists of studio and home shoots, what somehow I have to put together with nature surroundings, from different days and locations.
In this - portrait is joined together with spring flowers, creating ideal pattern all over my daughter’s skin leaving her surrounded by fantasy.
Its maybe not the best example comparable to Kooi`s work, but as I said, even if I having same ideas my style varies for lots of reasons.
Similar with Oleg Dou I found this Netherlands photographer after a while searching internet regarding my main subject…children, fantasy and real world.
More from her:
http://www.beaumontpublic.com/exhibitions_past.php?64http://www.ellenkooi.nl/
http://fotofestiwal.com/2011/en/exhibitions/main-programme/out-of-life/ellen-kooi/
