- Photography
- Music
People I Admire
Pelle Bonink
3 July 2026 19:00 – 5 July 2026 19:00
Music
Application text
The title already reveals it. I portray people I admire for the way they dare to give visual expression to their identities, individuals I encountered within the queer club culture of both Germany and the Netherlands. My focus lies on the self-expression I have found in this scene. Through a series of portraits, I highlight the strength, extravagance, and beauty of the people depicted. In the publication, I create an ode to those who, in the darkness of the night and within a self-constructed, safe environment, dare to temporarily extend and reimagine their identities.
Because cameras are often banned in these nightlife spaces, little physical evidence of this world exists. With this project, I aim to make part of it visible and to celebrate the people who shape and inhabit it.
Additionally, I consciously take the individuals I meet in the clubs out of the darkness of these nocturnal spaces and place them into the bright light of my studio. In this contrast—between the hidden, fleeting expression of the night and the concentrated, visible space of the studio—their identities are read anew. The studio becomes a place where the inner and outer meet, where the self-expression born in the club takes on a new, enduring form, and where the boundary between OUT / SIDE / IN is redrawn.
Application text
The title already reveals it. I portray people I admire for the way they dare to give visual expression to their identities, individuals I encountered within the queer club culture of both Germany and the Netherlands. My focus lies on the self-expression I have found in this scene. Through a series of portraits, I highlight the strength, extravagance, and beauty of the people depicted. In the publication, I create an ode to those who, in the darkness of the night and within a self-constructed, safe environment, dare to temporarily extend and reimagine their identities.
Because cameras are often banned in these nightlife spaces, little physical evidence of this world exists. With this project, I aim to make part of it visible and to celebrate the people who shape and inhabit it.
Additionally, I consciously take the individuals I meet in the clubs out of the darkness of these nocturnal spaces and place them into the bright light of my studio. In this contrast—between the hidden, fleeting expression of the night and the concentrated, visible space of the studio—their identities are read anew. The studio becomes a place where the inner and outer meet, where the self-expression born in the club takes on a new, enduring form, and where the boundary between OUT / SIDE / IN is redrawn.
Biography
Pelle Bonink
As a photographer, I primarily direct my gaze and my camera toward people within the queer community. The uniqueness with which each individual shapes their identity, and the strong drive for self-expression within the queer community, inspire my admiration. I document this for a wider audience.
Being queer today is often accompanied by personal and societal challenges surrounding (self-)acceptance. By giving visual attention to the full spectrum of the queer community through my photography, I hope to contribute to a broader understanding within society.
Being queer today is often accompanied by personal and societal challenges surrounding (self-)acceptance. By giving visual attention to the full spectrum of the queer community through my photography, I hope to contribute to a broader understanding within society.
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