VAN DE STRAAT (STREETLIFE)

Street life documented through the eyes and lens of the homeless (2008)

The premise for the project Van De Straat (Street life) was that the people within this group are always among people but in fact invisible. As artists, we wanted to invite and stimulate them to show something about themselves to the external world in an artistic way. Like unknown makes unloved, we hoped that known, makes loved!

The Herberg/WRZV in Zwolle, was the place where we planned to realize the photo project with the homeless. After a pilot project with residents of the Salvation Army (De Gastenburgh) Amsterdam and the ‘Herberg’ Zwolle, this idea was taken further.

Housing association ‘Beter Wonen Vechtdal’ represented by Gerrit Teunis (then managing director) was the main sponsor of the Herberg but also the main sponsor of our photo project.

The Herberg was and is a unique shelter in the Netherlands and made an official restart at a new location in 2009. This was the elected moment to have the residents document their own living environment/world.

The project covered a total of 13 meetings and working sessions. It ended in a final exhibition and presentation where the participants dressed all new by a local fashion store, Hony and beautifully coiffed by students from the hairstyling school featured themselves and their work. For the occasion, after picking out their new outfit they were V.I.P with a white stretched Limo driven to the venue.

The Van De Straat exhibition has been followed up at the Stedelijk Museum Zwolle and has been compiled into a beautiful coffee table book. The book is compiled with photos of the participants, a photo report of the project itself and an introduction by innkeeper Joop van Ommen and Gerrit Teunis and designed by Gijs Dragt.

Image from the Book ‘ From the Street’ (graphic v.g. Gijs Dragt/ texts Marit Otto & Jacomijn Schellevis/ Introduction main sponsor Gerrit Teunis of Beter Wonen Vechtdal) and foreword by Joop van Ommen Hostel keeper and guardian of the Homeless Zwolle e.o.

In close cooperation with Jacomijn Schellevis, Joop van Ommen (Director WRZV halls and keeper of the Inn), Freddie Trompetter (SWZ), the RIBW and Gerrit Teunis (Head Sponsor) and the residents of the Inn. Thanks to the sponsors: Public Interest, SWZ, Delta Wonen, and Beter Wonen Vechtdal’