With the retrospective exhibition Ordinary People The Hague Museum of Photography offers a new look at the twenty-year oeuvre of Dutch photographer Rob Hornstra (1975). Throughout his career, Hornstra has focused on painting a picture of his own time by photographing people in their everyday situations with a focus on Russia and Europe.
Until now, Hornstra's approach has faded into the background in his publications and presentations, but in the exhibition Ordinary People his categorical work process is central. Everywhere he goes, he looks for everyday scenes, such as the butcher behind the chopping block, the civil servant behind the desk and the young people on the street.
The exhibition examines his working method and shows how, consciously or unconsciously, he forges connections between people that extend far beyond national borders.
Rob Hornstra has achieved world fame during his career with his socially involved projects. In the rich tradition of humanist photography - which includes greats such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans and Ed van der Elsken belong to - he devotes himself to sketching a human image of his own time. He has been doing this for twenty years - inspired by the German photographer August Sander - using a self-defined list of categories that serves as a guide in the production of new work.
Throughout his career, Hornstra has focused on painting a human image of his own time by photographing people in their everyday situations with a focus on Russia and Europe.
Until now, Hornstra's approach has faded into the background in his publications and presentations, but this exhibition focuses on his categorical work process. The exhibition examines his working method and shows how he, consciously or unconsciously, forges connections between people that extend far beyond national borders.
This exhibition presents more than seventy photos, arranged according to Hornstra's categories. The majority are portraits. Although landscapes and still lifes play an important role in his projects, Hornstra sees himself first and foremost as a portrait photographer, looking for iconic images that can symbolize the moment or place where the portrait was taken.
In addition to the photos, there is also documentation material on display, which provides more insight into the photographer's working method.
Ordinary People - Rob Hornstra
December 9, 2023 to March 17, 2024
Photo Museum The Hague
