Born 23-02-1988 in The Netherlands / Lives in Heerewaarden between two rivers / Studied Documentary Photography and graduated in Art & Economics at HKU Utrecht, 2015 / Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie with Joakim Eskildsen in Berlin 2021-2022 / Atelier Smedsby with JH Engström and Margot Wallard in Paris 2022-2023 / Art Foto Mode international program 2024-2025 / Founder of Fototrip, group trips to photography festivals in Europe / Volunteering at the Animal Ambulance in region ‘s-Hertogenbosch

I'm active in multiple international photography networks, both as an artist and as an entrepreneur. In my work I like to temporarily drop myself in certain places and groups that I sometimes compose myself. Productivity, friendship and inspiration come together in fostering cross-border collaborations and organizing trips to photography workshops and festivals. Photography becomes both a means of seeking safety and a medium to challenge personal boundaries, inviting vulnerability and exploration.

As a photographic artist, I explore the struggle between closeness and distance in our relationships with others, animals, and nature. My work balances between interpretation and ambiguity: viewers are invited to explore and define the situation for themselves. The friction between loneliness and connection is tangible, leaving it unclear whether a situation conveys comfort or suggests threat. That duality is prevalent in my work. I focus on the fine line between tension and relaxation, a fragile balance that is constantly shifting.

I’m fascinated by inner burdens, doubt, the tension between surface appearances and hidden truths. I tend to look for symbols of safety and places of apparent refuge, longing for stable ground and certainty. Growing up as an only child on the country side, these themes are grounded in my personal life. For me, photography is a means to uncover deeper truths.

My artistic approach is poetic and intuitive, characterized by a fusion of photography with various materials and techniques. My work comes to life through analogue printing methods such as riso, toyobo and screen printing, in which tactility plays a substantial role. I enjoy working with various types of paper, textiles and bookbinding.

Through my work I aim to bridge the personal and the collective, using visual storytelling to cultivate connection and to inspire people to stay closer to their nature.

Studio:
De Bartjesschool
Dageraadsweg 1
5213 TM 's-Hertogenbosch

e. monique.wijdeven@gmail.com
t. +31 6 12 22 15 77
l. Instagram / Linkedin

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