Power
In conversation with Aicha Abdoun, an image maker with a keen eye for meaning
In conversation with Aicha Abdoun, it quickly becomes clear how sharp her vision is as an image maker. Her eye for meaning shapes every photograph she creates.
In conversation with Richard Zijlstra, it quickly becomes clear just how sharp the vision behind Triple C Beverage Solutions is. The owner himself puts it eloquently: "The Captain's Club is exactly what Triple C stands for: high-end, stylish, top quality. That's why brands like Blenheim Advocaten, sponsor of the Captain's Club, have trusted us with their hospitality for years."
Happy child
“My entire childhood I spent hours on horseback, seven days a week. Horse riding was my life, but I didn't want to make a career out of it. So what would I do? My aunt once gave me her old SLR camera, which I experimented with. That gave my mother an idea: why not do something with photography? After HAVO (higher general secondary education), I started a photography course, first for a year in Rotterdam, then two years in Amsterdam. But two months before graduating, I quit. My vision clashed with that of my teachers; instead of encouraging me, they wanted to pigeonhole me, portraits, documentaries… I believe you should be able to capture everything: the style defines the photographer, not the subject. For my graduation project, I had conceived an installation: one wall full of mirrors, the other full of prints that formed a mix of all the images I had photographed during that period, a reflection of who I was at that moment. If you stood in the center, you, as a viewer, became part of that work. The idea was voted down. The student after me, who was a girl with "The artist who portrayed an eating disorder was praised to the skies. A heavy subject, but not necessarily groundbreaking. I was nineteen, and I just felt like a happy child who wanted to take beautiful pictures. An art education should support that, not undermine it."
Orient Express
My love for beautiful things is evident in my work. I sometimes call my photos 'curated obsessions': they appear calm, but there's so much happening. We see so much around us that things lose their value. I let you see what I find important. My style leans more poetic than political, often with an alienating edge, but always aesthetic. I try to tap into people's emotions. My career grew organically. I started with photos of friends, then small assignments, and soon I was portraying Dutch artists. It was incredibly rewarding, because you get to work with stylists and hair and makeup artists who also enjoy contributing creative ideas. I talked my way into a major booking agency in Rotterdam and was given carte blanche to approach international artists from their portfolio on my own initiative. That's how I photographed Cardi B, French Montana, and MHD. That, in turn, led to Lil' Kleine's agency contacting me to photograph him—which I did for a longer period. Then came editorials, published in magazines like Vogue, Numéro, and Harper's Bazaar. That's how people started contacting me—like Belgian model Rose Bertram, who asked me to be her regular photographer. Commissioned by Dior, in collaboration with PR manager Jacqueline Giannakos, we shot some amazing images: including the Orient Express, Christian Dior's former vacation home, Hotel Eden Roc, and the Cannes Film Festival. I was also invited to travel with her to Abu Dhabi, where Max Verstappen became world champion—and suddenly we were partying on his yacht. That's how Rose introduced me to places I would otherwise never have been. But I didn't want to be "Rose's photographer"; I wanted my name to stand alone. Through her, I met an American publicist, Emma, who commissioned me to photograph the fiancée of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt in LA. Such encounters happen by chance—right time, right place—and have a tremendous impact. I believe that if you stay true to yourself and know what you want, you attract the right people. My work is based on personal connections, that is where the most beautiful projects come from.”
Times Square
"For the past two and a half years, I've spent a lot of time in New York, where jeweler Greg Yuna offered me a job. I made still lifes of his jewelry and helped him with a hundred other things, from decorating his shop on the chic Mulberry Street to curating the jewelry for the display cases. One of my photos went up on a giant billboard in Times Square, and we also did a city-wide wheatpaste campaign (a technique where posters are pasted on walls with a paste of flour and water, ed.). Among other things, that included photos of dollar bills, which are completely viral I've moved on. Now I'm focusing on selling prints. That's the future for me: I want my work to stick, literally. At MASTERS EXPO, I'll show a selection—perhaps jewelry, equestrianism, textures… For example, I made a series about red wine: glass, light, movement… Sensual without you seeing what it is, almost painterly. Equestrianism—the sporting aspect, the muscles, the dismount—is a fascination I've waited the longest to pursue. When is a photo finished for me? When it's right. A millimeter can make all the difference. In an age where everyone can take photos, and AI generates images, vision is more important than ever. Technique can be learned, an idea can't. That's what my clients select me for. I draw inspiration from everyday things—I open the refrigerator, see an old tomato, and think: bring it on, tomato! My first series was about an egg. I wanted to see what happened when you freeze the yolk. Soon, I'll be locking myself up for a week with my neighbor from New York, Paradise-actor Thomas Doherty, to create images as a kind of artist-in-residence. Many collaborations arise because I pursue them myself. For example, I really wanted to work with The Gstaad Guy – I pitched a shoot for his jewelry line through a model he knows. The next day he called me – the shoot was set. So exciting! I've been a photographer for almost ten years now. I can develop even further by becoming more honest with myself, by embracing and developing who I am even more as a person, a woman, and a photographer. In the beginning, I looked around more, at existing work. Now I listen more to myself: what do I want to create? Just like with my graduation project. By staying true to yourself, you create the most beautiful things.
MASTERS EXPO
Want to see Aicha Abdoun's work in person? This year, her work is on display at MASTERS EXPO for the first time. Visit her booth in Hall 11. Buy your ticket package here.
