BOB SCHALKWIJK
From childhood, Bob Schalkwijk (Rotterdam, 6 May 1933) had
a fascination with photography, even before he got his first
camera as a teenager. At just 16 years of age, he sold one of
his first photographs, a portrait of Louis Armstrong taken at a
concert in Amsterdam. However Schalkwijk’s nacent
photographic career fully blossomed in Mexico.
After long trips across the United States and with a hunger for
adventure, Schalkwijk arrived in Mexico in 1958. Upon settling
in Mexico City the following year, Schalkwijk, inspired by the
vibrant culture and society in a state of flux, dedicated his
career as a professional photographer to documenting these
changes happening all around him.
Schalkwijk's photography is humanistic in nature; seeking to
grasp the essence of everyday life, with sensitivity and a
recognition of the universality of experiences. His oeuvre is
vast: from street photography to landscapes, and from art and
architecture to advertisements. Uniquely, Schalkwijk is the sole
person to have photographed the complete diary of Frida Kahlo.
Another important project follows the lives of the indigenous
Raramuri Indians in the Sierra Tarahumara in northern Mexico.
Spanning 65 years, across 17 separate trips to the inaccessible
area, Schalkwijk’s determination to document the evolution of
their way of life has led to him being recognised as the
photographer who truly captured their culture.
Schalkwijk remains an active photographer. Across his career,
he has taken more than 600,000 photos in 45 countries.
Several major museums have Schalkwijk's work in their
collections, numerous publications of his work have appeared,
and he has shone in dozens of exhibitions. But never on Dutch
soil. Until now.
PART OF THE COLLECTION OF:
MOCA (The museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles,
USA
Centro de la Imagen, Mexico Stad, Mexico
Museo Amparo, Puebla, Mexico
Museo de Culturas Populares, Mexico Stad, Mexico
Michael Nyman, English composer, pianist, filmmaker and
photographer
Lance Wyman, American graphic Designer (Mexico
Olympics 1968 Graphic designer)
Joleen and Mitch Julis (American couple involved in
supporting various social, charitable and art organizations
Adriana Oyervides (Mexican businesswoman in the
skincare sector
Emilio Azcárraga Jean (Mexican Business man, chairman
of mass media company Televisa and football team "Club
América
Dolf Hogewoning, former Dutch Ambassador to Mexico
Margriet Leemhuis, former Dutch Ambassador to Mexico
Ministry of Culture of the State of Veracruz, Mexico
Guatemala Photo Library