'Water is my eye’s most faithful mirror'

As chief photographer at the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences and Arts (KNAW), where water related subjects are often a topic, and with my roots in the Netherlands, which is well known for water management, as an artist I am currently drawn to the subject of water. Rapid population growth, rising living standards and agricultural expansion put pressure on water resources. This often causes a gap between water supply and demand. Drought is often not immediately seen as part of water management.

Water scarcity is already a pressing issue in many parts of the world, not only for its effects on agriculture, but also for its impact on fresh water resources. As a consequence, decreased food production or a lack of fresh water resources can result in migration, conflict or other crises. With my personal creed “bring colour to your life” – since greyness in life is already well represented – I wish to draw attention to an aesthetic approach to this pressing issue.