Dreams of a new generation - Xiu Xiu - 1982

Deng Xiaoping slowly introduced capitalism to China in1982 . The one's who are born then, are now in their late twenties.

This is a portrait of a new generation and their struggle with hopes, dreams and ambition.

In a world with a liiile bit more freedom. A world that is so different from the one their parents grew up in.

Publication China's New Weekly

A New Generation

This spring I portrayed Xiu Xiu, Natelie and Hong Xu in Beijing. These 3 people - being in their late 20's - were born after Deng Xiaoping introduced capitalism to China in 1982. This is a portrait of a new generation and their struggle with hopes, dreams and ambition, in a world with more freedom. A world that is so different from the one their parents grew up in.



See the complete serie slideshow of Xiu Xiu



See the complete serie slideshow of Hongxu



See the complete serie slideshow of Natalie

Pavillion Out in the Open Again

Today was a beautiful day!
We build up the Pavillion made by Wouter Klein Velderman and myself in the sculpture garden of 'Het Oude Raadhuis' in Hoofddorp.

Museumnacht A'dam - In front of FOAM

It's going to happen!

Sesame | Factory

Peanuts | Factory

Peanuts | Farmers

Everybody once has eaten them.. peanuts. But who knows where they come from and which road they travel before ending up in your mouth.

For Houz International I'm going to follow the process of peanuts and sesame seeds. This will result in a reportage about a trading company, their products and the people they work with.

Behind the Billboards | Final

The Economical rise of Beijing has also it's shadowside. Every year many immigrants arrive at the West Railway Station. Most of them, in the search for fortune, find work as an constructor or collect recyclable waste. They are the hope of their family's far away in the village. Nobody want to lose their face, so they can only go back with enough money to spend.

"One World One Dream" say the 4 big billboards wich you'll se when leaving the trainstation. Those who where not able to find their fortune and therefor could not go home because of shame, lived in these billboards.

China did everything to create a perfect and spotless image of the city for it's western visitors to the Olympic Games. That's why they cleaned up the whole area behind the billboards, as soon as the news went round about a western photographer who was trying to make contact with the immigrants.

The lives of these people shows the thin layer between what China wants the West to believe and the harsh reality.




This is the last photo made after the people were send away. See the slide show for all the photo's

Behind the Billboards | 3

Behind the Billboards | 2

Back to Work

After a three weeks since the building-stop, the first workers are getting back to work. The building-stop was one of the measurements the Beijing government took to decrease air pollution for the Olympic Games.

Behind the Billboards | 1

Behind the billboards, just across the Beijing West Railway Station, people are living another dream in contrast to what China is trying to let us believe.

Working the Crowds

At the last day of the Olympic Games, the volunteers showed their best side. Working the crowds at the closing ceremony was their final job. There were several items for the public to use: little drums, two kinds of flags and an electric torch.

While most people did their best to participate, others had their own priority's.



These are the final photo's made for the "Olympic Volunteer" series. To see all photo's watch the slide show.

Final Tickets

Although strictly forbidden, there is a 'lively' market for selling tickets.
Behind subway station Beitucheng, where the train leaves for the Olympic Green, the sellers are sitting in the shade trying to make some money. Tickets for the handball finals go around for only €75,- while they normally cost €30,-.


This is the last photo made for the "Beijing During the Olympics" series. To see all photo's watch the slide show.

A Day Out to the Green

While the volunteers were keeping guard at the National Indoor Stadium, others enjoyed their day off.

Keep on Smiling

Watching the Games

Never too Hot to Cheer

"Jia You, Jia You!!" it echo's around the stadium. There are 200.000 volunteers who are in official cheering teams. They get free tickets to games where there are seats available.

Literally 'jia you' means 'add oil' and can be translated into 'go on'.

This group of 'cheering volunteers' are students of the General University of Nationalities and have had proper training of how to cheer and use the inflatable clappingsticks.

Information Station

To make sure everybody is getting to the place of their destination, 550 'volunteer stations' are placed around the city. The 400.000 'city volunteers' will be happy to inform anybody with questions.

Like normally, this volunteer-operation is fully directed end controlled by the state. The number of people helped, working hours and to witch media is spoken; everything will be carefully registered in the log.