he images (or perhaps we should call
them works) of Dutch visual artist Ruud
van Empel are instantly recognisable,
and like no other photographer. We say
this, but then the photographer himself
tells us he chose photography because
“it does not have a recognisable style
of its own. Drawing or painting do, but for me,
photography is neutral. I like that.”
Where realist painters might strive to create a
photographic quality with their brush, Ruud turns
this notion on its head, creating a sort of photo-
artificialism with his camera. You’re more likely to
take Ruud’s photographs for paintings at a glance.Ruud van Empel is one of the more innovative and
influential contemporary photographers working
today. He has just exhibited for the third time in
Huxley-Parlour Gallery, London (which represents
him in the UK); following this, we were inspired to
find out more about the creative methods he uses.
The images featured here are from Ruud’s two latest
series, Floresta Negra and Voyage Pittoresque, both
of which were shown in the UK gallery for the first
time. Voyage Pittoresque shows worlds of photo
collage, where looming flowers and oversized leaves
become the focus of the frame, whereas Floresta
Negra depicts nocturnal forest scenes, eerily
backlit by starlight or bioluminescence.T
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