Culemborg Art Route: A whirlwind of creativity and success!
For the second year in a row, I had the pleasure of presenting my photographic work at the vibrant Culemborg Art Route, an event that is more than just an exhibition.
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My latest exhibition
The Culemborg Art Route is an event that is more than just an exhibition; it is a celebration of creativity, art and the power of visual storytelling. Last year was my debut at the event and what an incredible experience it was! The energy, the interaction with the audience and the connections I made inspired me to return this year with even more passion and new work. I was ready to showcase my artistic vision again and this year proved to be another great success - I even sold three beautiful pieces!
My spot during the Art Route was once again in the heart of Culemborg's historic city centre, a setting that perfectly suits the creative atmosphere of the event. Like last year, I was given the same lovely location: a clean, white wall no less than nine meters wide, accentuated by dark panels. It was the perfect backdrop to show off my photos. It is fascinating how the environment can play a role in the presentation of artwork; the white wall made my work seem to float, while the dark panels provided a beautiful contrast.
The flow of visitors seemed endless. From the moment the doors opened at 10am, art lovers poured in. Throughout the day, until five in the afternoon, visitors kept coming. Every time I raised my head, I saw new faces entering my venue. It was heartwarming to see how many people were drawn to my photography, and the conversations I had with them were as inspiring as the art I was presenting.
An important part of my work is the choice of material on which to print my photographs. For this Art Route, I have chosen different high-quality printing techniques, depending on what best suits the photo and the message I want to convey. For example, I presented some works on Dibond with a glossy layer of acrylic glass in front, which deepens the colors and creates a beautiful depth. I also had photos printed on 5mm thick acrylic glass, with the print on the back. This gives a sharp and clear effect and extra depth, which suits my photography perfectly.
I also experimented with brushed aluminium, which reflects light in a special way. This works particularly well for photos with a lot of negative space, as the subtle texture of the aluminium adds dimension to the void.
However, one of my most striking works during the Art Route was a collage of 365 cloudscapes printed on polyester canvas in an aluminium frame. Measuring 240 x 100 cm, it was a real eye-catcher. The choice of polyester canvas gave the sky images a soft, dreamy look, while the aluminium frame provided a sleek and modern finish.
Best of all? Not only did I sell three pieces of my work, but my new zine also got a lot of attention.
Yes, speaking of zines... Making my own zine has been an exciting adventure. Lately I have noticed that more and more zines are popping up on platforms like Substack, especially among photographers. And that's no surprise. A zine is such an accessible way to compile your work and share it with a wider audience in a personal, tangible way. It is the perfect combination of art and accessibility. For this Art Route, I had carefully curated my zine with a selection of my recent photographs from the Riverlands project in a stylish, manageable format. It was almost as if I was presenting my artwork to the public in the form of a small, personal museum that people could take home with them. The response was fantastic and it was great to see how my zine managed to touch people.
By the way, there are still a few copies for sale, if you are interested! They cost only 10 Euros, including worldwide shipping. Just drop me a DM.
You can also see and buy my photo work in my online shop. Who knows, maybe you will soon have a 'real Marcel' hanging on your wall! For me, this is one of the most rewarding aspects of this work: that my photos find a place in someone's home, where they can be a source of inspiration and beauty.
It is always exciting to see how your work is received by a wider audience and the Art Route provides the perfect platform for this. The feedback I received was not only positive, but often very thoughtful. People saw things in my photos that I hadn't even noticed myself, and they shared their personal interpretations and emotions that my work evoked in them. That is why I photograph - to touch people and create a dialogue without the need for words.
I would like to thank everyone who came to admire my work during the Culemborg Art Route. Your enthusiasm, positive reactions and support mean the world to me. I would also like to thank the organisation for putting on such a great event. It is not an easy task to make such a big event run smoothly, and yet they managed to make this Art Route an unforgettable experience, both for the participants and for the visitors. With a warm feeling I am already looking forward to next year. See you then!
Next week
Next Tuesday I will continue my series on Long-term photography projects. It will be the 8th part of this series. It will be about STYLE. Can’t wait. Missed previous parts? Start with Part 1 Embrace the journey
That’s it for this newsletter.
Till next time,
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Belated Congratulations (yes, I'm catching up on email). I'm interested that at Culemborg Art Route they were ok with lots of different styles and print techniques from one artist. I'm not used to seeing that. I bet it was a ton of fun!
Congratulations, Marcel!