Shores Like You

On show at the Huis Marseille gallery in Amsterdam, Hooft Graafland’s photographs allude to the global undermining of order and beauty that is affecting us all.

Douze Douze Douze, Madagaskar, 2012 © Scarlett Hooft Graafland
The title of the exhibition – “Shores Like You” – was inspired by a line from Baudelaire’s famous poem L’invitation au voyage: “Au pays qui te ressemble!”.
Resolution, Malakula, Vanuatu, 2015 © Scarlett Hooft Graafland
Top: Scarlett Hooft Graafland, Douze Douze Douze, Madagaskar, 2012 © Scarlett Hooft Graafland Above: Scarlett Hooft Graafland, Resolution, Malakula, Vanuatu, 2015 © Scarlett Hooft Graafland
The title is ideally suited to the work of Hooft Graafland – who often travels to distant locations where shores are the first thing that can be seen – and it applies particularly well to the Vanuatu series, inspired by James Cook’s historic explorations.
Sons of the Forest, Vanuatu, 2015 © Scarlett Hooft Graafland
Scarlett Hooft Graafland, Sons of the Forest, Vanuatu, 2015. © Scarlett Hooft Graafland
But the title also touches on today’s global migration issue, with people fleeing violence from their own countries and refugees drowning when their packed boats capsize. “I travel to remote places because of their unspoiled nature”, says the photographer, “but there, too, you see problems similar to those in the West, like climate change and environmental pollution. There’s no escaping from them.” 
Dunes Like You, Dubai, 2016 © Scarlett Hooft Graafland
Scarlett Hooft Graafland, Dunes Like You, Dubai, 2016. © Scarlett Hooft Graafland
Ultimately, “Shores Like You” is a title that invites the viewer to identify directly with what is being shown. While Hooft Graafland’s photographs are reminiscent of “luxury, peace and pleasure”, they, at the same time, allude to the global undermining of order and beauty that is affecting us all.
Touching Base, Fulufjället, Zweden, 2016 © Scarlett Hooft Graafland
Scarlett Hooft Graafland, Touching Base, Fulufjället, Zweden, 2016 © Scarlett Hooft Graafland

Latest on News

Latest on Domus

Read more
China Germany India Mexico, Central America and Caribbean Sri Lanka Korea icon-camera close icon-comments icon-down-sm icon-download icon-facebook icon-heart icon-heart icon-next-sm icon-next icon-pinterest icon-play icon-plus icon-prev-sm icon-prev Search icon-twitter icon-views icon-instagram