Founded in 2022 by Mick Nieuwenhuis, MICK is not just an agency that represents visual artists and their works; it’s a statement, and a commitment to redress the balance in the world of art & design. Nieuwenhuis recognized the gender disparity within the art industry and decided to take a stand. Not content with merely advocating for the female artists she works with, she set out to bridge the gap.
UNSEEN is the first art fair she attends as a gallery and she’s proud to kick off with this amazing selection of four exceptional female photographers, each with their own unique style and philosophy, collectively contributing to the rich tapestry of contemporary photography.
As you explore their body of works at UNSEEN, she invites you to join her in celebrating the incredible talent and unique perspectives of these four women. Together, we are shaping the future of art with our mission to champion women in the art industry. Your presence here today contributes to a more inclusive, vibrant, and promising art world for all.
Carlie Consemulder
Carlie Consemulder (b. 1982) is a Dutch photographer currently based in Munich, Germany. Her body of work mixes abstract and figurative contemporary photography.
Her figurative work is inspired by shapes, colors and compositions and how they interact with each other. She seeks to mould the worlds that she photographs from scratch and create a form of escapism that helps her reflect on modern day society.
Her abstract work is mostly uninhabited and often are feelings immortalised in a picture. Each image carries an underlying, often poetic, meaning, inviting viewers to open unexpected windows within their own minds.
Carlie’s artistic approach involves the use of second- hand clothing, items, and materials to keep her environmental footprint as minimal as possible. She lives by her believe that it’s not about awaiting the future, but about shaping it.
Carlie’s artistry encapsulates a balance between the ethereal and the grounded, providing viewers with an introspective journey through her lens.
“Beauty of the Blurred”
In a world of constant motion, where change unfolds faster than ever, Carlie Consemulder created a series of aesthetically captivating photos in a narrative style.
By using a soft color palette and focussing on visual balance the photos create room for thought. The interplay of grain and blur adds an element of ambiguity, intimacy, and maybe even vulnerability. It touches the imagination, keeps the mind curious and lets it wander and wonder.
“What am I looking at? I’m either drawn to or repelled by the emotions it stirs within me, but I’m not sure what is causing that feeling. What is she doing in an empty swimming pool? Why is her head covered in plastic? Why does she look rigid? Is it sadness that I see or just someone contemplating? Is that an empty playground? What colours do I see? What is behind that foggy window on a sunny morning? Snowfall or flowers in spring?
It’s that distinct sensation of “I can’t see it clearly, but I can feel it, and maybe if I can feel it, I can grasp it.””
For Carlie, photography is emotion, and emotion lives within photography
Lotte Ekkel
Lotte Lisa Ekkel (b. 1988), a self-taught photographer, lives and works in Amsterdam. Without a predetermined plan, she captures poetic and intuitive images using only natural light. She seeks stillness and beauty in small, seemingly insignifi- cant moments that often go by unnoticed.
‘If you think about it, these moments actually encapsulate ev- erything. They may appear to be small and static. However, because everything is always changing, these small moments are all we have’, Lotte states. Each (captured) moment is in- herently on the verge of transformation and thus carries that constant flow of change within it.
The awareness of this constant tran- sition is always present within Lotte’s perspective on the world and forms the basis from which she observes and works.
Much like life itself, our perception of the world effortlessly evolves. Just as images transform through the shifting of light or one’s perspective in the lit- eral sense, our experience of life sim- ilarly shifts with changes in our per- spective in the figurative sense.
“I believe our thoughts and assumed truths in a given moment are far more dynamic than we realize. Embracing this notion enables us to appreciate the relativity and beauty of each mo- ment, acknowledging their signifi- cance while not burdening ourselves with undue seriousness, as all is des- tined to evolve.”
The carefully chosen moments in Lotte’s work contain this ambiguity, as they reflect both the beauty and the everydayness of life, the stillness and the constant flow of change under- neath it. By focusing on passing mo- ments and sometimes small details, Lotte takes away the noise and helps us see the magnificence of everyday life.
‘Our existence is but a brief crack of light between two eternities of dark- ness’
Vladimir Nabokov
Nanda Hagenaars
Nanda Hagenaars (b. 1988) is a photographer who aims to translate her feelings and emotions into images. Her work can be described as poetical, intuitive, and emotional. The concept of time and timelessness provoked Nanda to photograph in black and white.
To Nanda, the camera is more than just a tool. It’s a symbol of transformation. It helped her see life in new ways, just as looking through her lens showed her fresh perspectives. She believes that using photography is a way to for her grow and discover herself. “It’s not always easy to see things differently, but I push myself to do it,” she says.
This philosophy shows up in her art. She doesn’t just see water; the reflection is evenly important to her. This way of seeing extends to everything she captures. With a sharp focus and somewhat sweaty hands, she searches for new compositions. Realizing that you can look at something and seeing a whole new side to it empowers her to face challenges in life with the same open mindset.
For Nanda, photography never felt like a choice – it was her calling. It’s her way of sharing how she sees the world and who she is. Inspired by her grandmother - who was an artist herself - she’s not afraid to break the rules. “I love images that look like they’ve been touched by a painter’s brush,” she reveals. She plays with light and shadow, creating a dance that’s both rhythmic and melancholic. Through her work, she hopes to inspire others to share their emotions through art. Nanda firmly believes that everyone has an inner artist who can create and heal by looking at the world, or themselves, with fresh eyes.
Nanda pours a piece of herself into her work, forging connections with people and the wisdom of life. It’s like a game to her an ever exciting journey of discovery. Through these connections, her photography becomes a way to explore her own identity and communicate with the world around her, painting a vivid picture of emotions and experiences.
Bebe Blanco Agterberg
Bebe Blanco Agterberg (b.1995) is a visual storyteller based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She examines history and the reliability of the image in the post- truth era, which forms a gray area where fact and fiction live close to each other. This is the area whereAgterberg positions herself.
The projects she makes explore the relationship between politics, media and citizens. How these three opponents feed each other, need each other, but also exist in a constant power struggle.
Her visual language is based on what she sees in the media and she is specifically interested in what has been manipulated. Agterberg uses artificial light in order to give a cinematic feeling to the work, which is based on emotions that tries to lure its audience into believing what is created in front of them.
In her work she takes on the role of a director that investigates what truth means in modern times.
Agterberg graduated with honors from The Royal Academy of Arts, The Hague and is the sixth recipient of the Florentine Riem Vis Grant. Established in memory of Florentine Riem Vis (1959-2016), the grant is awarded each year with the aim of enabling young artists to further develop their artistic careers.
Dear Mr. Welles
On the evening of October 30, 1938 listeners across the United Stated were presented with an unexpected account of a meteor hitting the New Jersey countryside. While hearing loud sirens in the background, the radio broadcast included descriptions of terrifying creatures, war machines and dense clouds of poisonous gas heading towards New York City. Some listeners were in shock by the approaching threat, while others fled their homes or called the police. This broadcast was not a news report, but Orson Welles’ classic production, “The War of the Worlds.”
By visualizing letters sent to Welles after the broadcast and recreating experiences of listeners who believed the attack was real, this project investigates if the wave of mass hysteria as the New York Times reported was really true. The work emphasizes how the broadcast became a significant scandal, showing the power of radio and the vulnerability of the country in times of crisis. Agterberg traces the origins of “fake news” back to Welles’ show.
