Martine Stig, Ralph J.J.M. Pans, LLM, mayor of Almere (1994 - 1998), 2000
Portrait galery of mayors of Almere - Martine Stig
The thing the people in these portraits have in common is that all three of them have been the mayor of Almere. A more personal interpretation by the photographer sets these portraits apart from the formal official portraits that are usually made of mayors.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Almere in 2001, the Adviescommissie Beeldende Kunstopdracht (Advisory Committee Visual Art Commission, ABK) was commissioned by the city council to make a portrait gallery of the mayors who have governed the city thus far. Through the committee’s intercession, eight young, female photographers were selected. On the basis of documentation, the three mayors in question indicated their first and second choice of these candidates. Ultimately, Annaleen Louwes, Corinne Noordenbos and Martine Stig were given the opportunity to do a portrait.
Dutch tradition
A common feature of the three photographers is that they not only work within artistic circles, but that their photos are published in various magazines and newspapers as well. In addition, they frequently do assignments for commercial companies. Furthermore, their works tie in with the Dutch photographic tradition in which socially committed and human-oriented photography plays a lead role.
Personal story
The photographs of Martine Stig often remind one of snapshots but, by contrast, are carefully staged. For Stig a photograph should be, first and foremost, an occasion for the viewer to create his own story around the depicted scene. Stig portrayed Mr. Pans by photographing him from his own living room while he was standing in the garden. The resulting picture looks more like a film still than an independent image. Martine Stig has photographed for, amongst others, BLVD, Purple, Volkskrant Magazine and Avenue. Works from her were shown at the Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam and the FotoFestival Naarden.
The three photographers were given free range with regard to the portraits’ shape and size. The intended spot in city hall, however, had to be kept in mind. In the end, the intimate portraits didn’t meet the city council’s expectations and therefore they are not included in the gallery of honour. Instead, it features those subdued and more formal black-and-white portraits that photographer Philip Mechanicus (1936-2005) did of Mr. Ouwerkerk, Mr. Pans and Mr. De Cloe.
Thanks to the autonomous nature of the three photos by Annaleen Louwes, Martine Stig and Corinne Noordenbos, however, the portraits are an important addition to De Collectie Almere that also include works by photographers such as Paul Huf, Cary Markerink and Marin Kasimir.
Martine Spanjers
Martine Stig, 1972, Nijmegen
Ralph J.J.M. Pans, LLM, mayor of Almere (1994 - 1998), 2000
photograph, 80 x 60 cm
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