Ed Van der Elsken

(1925 - 1990)

The life of photographer, film-maker, artist and world traveller Ed van der Elsken was closely linked with his work. He did not hide behind the camera but used it to establish direct contact with the people he liked to photograph most: eccentric types in big cities, often down-and-outs. Nevertheless, his photos are not meant as an indictment against the evils in this world. They should be seen as homage to strong personalities whose attention he deliberately attracted before quickly taking their picture. That is why many of the people he photographed, both in the Netherlands and on his travels abroad, look straight into the lens.