Independent
A lot of my work starts out as an independent project but then transforms into an assignment. Of course with most of my projects shown on this website, I have felt this connection to my own interests. Some projects however, are done solely because of my personal curiosity, passion and believes creating the breeding ground of the project. To me, for a moment, these are the projects that make me lose sight of who I am completely. Teaching me more about the world I live in and the position I have in it.
Company of Many
This was a dream that I had since 2014 and become a longterm project in October 2019. The first stretch and therefor the pilot started in Jordan. Together with research journalist Lisa Dupuy, we by now have walked the first 1000 miles of this ambitious project through Jordan, Turkey and the Kurdish region of Iraq.
So a journalist and a photographer are taking walks to understand the world better. The point of this expedition is to question the constructs that regular reporting and (adventure) tourism have imposed on Southwestern Asia - also known as the Middle East. We have learned that our own, personal worldviews are not free of preconceptions or frames either: an insight that we are eager to explore while on the trail.
While travelling slowly, we let serendipity direct much of our project.There is something extraordinary in the unexpected invitation for tea or an elaborate local lunch, accompanied by personal stories, family history or local customs. It’s these small stories in places that are often missed or overlooked, that will help us fill in our perspective on a region we now understand, know little about.
Trans & Transvestites in Buenos Aires
A friend of mine is Dutch correspondent in Buenos Aires. He has been living there with his husband for the past three years and told me that he had this idea for a project ever since he settled there. On paper, the rights for transgenders and transvestites are very well taken care of in this country. But, according to the numbers, still most of them work the streets, get abused or even killed. Meeting some of them, both from the streets as well as from offices, young and old, gave us a chance to listen to their life stories and aspirations for their future. We visited the first trans high school in the world, spend some time with a 10 year old with the alter ego ‘super travita’, followed a transgender commissioner of police and interviewed a prostitute with a deep desire to become a nurse. Personally I ‘ve come to understand that - as all things in life - nuances of this emancipation struggle are far more intricate than I could have ever imagined. I write my own findings in my blog, but the full story I gladly leave to Peter to put in words.
Mastery of Friendship
The husband of a friend of mine is studying ancient eastern martial arts. When I asked him if I could photograph him and the mastery that he possesses, he suggested I would go with him to his country of birth: Korea. There I would meet his best friend since 30 years, who is now a monk in the Sinheungsa Temple. They try to meet every year either in Korea or in The Netherlands and then they walk and talk, drink tea and they fight. They fight as the ancient art of Sibpalki was what brought them together in the first place. As I thought I was creating a story on martial art, I finally captured a story of true friendship.
You can order this story in hardcopy as a Zine below.
Pastor Moses
Traveling to the birth grounds of a special person in Ghana. Pastor Moses was born far up in the North of his country in a small rural village. Walking miles every day just to get to school he grew up in a family that eventually let him choose his own believes. Now, he is married with Mariette, a Dutch woman, and together they have started a children’s home and founded their own school. Together with Documentary maker Sander van Weert, and writer Maartje Grond, we tried to create a portrait of this incredible special person.
Mini documentary
by Sander van Weert
Serious request
Every year one of our national radio stations, organises a big event during Christmas in order to raise money for a specific goal chosen by the Red Cross. In 2014 that event was in my hometown and the goal was for “women and girls that are sexually assaulted in conflict areas”. I was asked to have an exhibition to raise awareness for this topic and with the support of PAX for peace traveled to South Sudan and to Uganda, meeting women in several IDP refugee camps. Places where sexual violence is continuous recurring. Hearing the stories, connecting with the people living in these conditions and experiencing the every day life they live, changed my view of the world for good. With the exhibition I organised a benefit to raise money for this specific topic as I didn’t think people would buy a photo for on the wall depicting this subject. During the benefit night a dinner was presented by Michelin starred chefs that I knew from a previous project. The exhibition and the dinner were spectacular.
Behind the scene photos
Photography by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
Photos taken by Jesaja Hizkia
#Sterrenchefs
In 2011 my first photo book was released. I had started shooting Michelin starred chefs about a year before and - as I was fascinated by their passionate way of working, I decided to create a book where I portrayed all of the Michelin starred chefs in The Netherlands at that time. A dream coming true.
Unieboek|Spectrum was my publisher and the book lounge was one of the most amazing parties I have ever organised and witnessed. 50 Michelin starred chefs in one place. You should definitely check out the video.
It took me a full year to create the book, visit all the chefs and come up with the idea that I didn’t want to have a ‘normal book launch’. Together with my publisher and one of the chefs, we sat down and made this extravagantly ideal having a record amount of chefs coming together and celebrating the books premiere. We even created a special edition magazine with it and went all out. I’m very grateful for all the help I got with this beautiful project and of course thank you Menno van Loon for capturing this special day on video.