MICKY HOOGENDIJK, ARTIST

After living abroad for 16 years, Micky Hoogendijk is setting foot on Dutch soil again. The creative jack-of-all-trades was appointed Master of Photography in 2017 and now exhibits her work all over the world. She served, acted, directed and has incorporated all these experiences into her photography. Micky talks with gratitude about a life filled with wheelbarrows. Text: Susan Poeder
Image: Rahi Rezvani & Micky Hoogendijk

What is it like to be back?

"It's delicious. I really felt like landing again after living abroad for 16 years. From Japan to Brussels, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and America... It is also very nice to be back for my art. I have now shown 50 exhibitions in 5 years, including many art fairs. I'm curious to see what Europe will offer me now that I'm living in the Netherlands again!”

Let's go all the way back to the beginning. What was your very first job?

“I have actually always been very enterprising. As a child I sold clouds on a skewer on Queen's Day haha. As soon as I could, I actually started working in the catering industry. Clubs, cafes... That's where you become awesome streetwise by. This is how I really learned in the catering industry to maintain peace among the craziness of all the people. Ultimately, I fell in love at a very young age and this man, Rob Scholte, took me all over the world. When I came back and all my friends were still studying, I had had a whole life. I learned a lot from that.

During this period I worked as a creative director at the Supperclub and I actually started modeling and acting at the insistence of those around me. After two years of playing in Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden, I moved to Los Angeles. In 2009, just before my mother passed away, I received a camera from her. When I first started, I photographed everything that was loose and stuck. I think my experience as an actor has benefited a lot in this work and now I tell stories from behind my camera.”

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What is your greatest passion in your work?

“My passion is telling stories, but even more so that I can connect with people. I really want to connect with the person I have in front of my camera and it is absolutely not superficial.

When I met Yves Gijrath he said: 'You have so much talent, but now try to focus on one thing' and I then completely absorbed that. That word 'focus' stuck so much that I even used it as my password – of course it's changed again! But I would like to thank Yves for that. I know that I can be very broad in my work. So speaking of wheelbarrows: Yves really helped me with this.”

Who else has been a wheelbarrow for you?

“I have been very fortunate to have met many people who have inspired and helped me in my life. In the beginning that was of course Rob Scholte for me. I could never have seen the world without him. My relationship with him made me grow up quickly, with all the pain that entails. Adam Curry also played a significant role. He encouraged me to just dare to do things when we lived in America, with so much love. Bert van der Leden, who gave me complete carte blanche at Supperclub and said: 'Go ahead.'

And in the field of art Petra Leene van Amstel Gallery. She discovered my art in the US and sent me a message: 'Dear mr. Micky Hoogendijk. At first she thought I was a man haha, but she still dared to do it with me and it was nice that there was someone who thought: here's another celebrity who will take some photos. Finally, Roy Kahman who put me on the cover of New Dutch Photography Talent and eventually introduced me to Eduard Planting who really gave me the confidence by saying: 'This is really good.'

But the list of people I would like to mention and thank is simply too long for this interview. I receive a lot of support, and I accept it with both hands because I run this circus all by myself.”

What has been your biggest learning moment in your career?

“When I moved to America I took acting lessons with Erik Morris, he is the master in method acting. The acting group contained all professional actors and because I was new I had to stand on stage and tell something about myself. So I had prepared a nice story and when I was done he said: 'Okay. Funny and good story. But now I want you to actually make eye contact and repeat what I say: I am a little girl and I need to be loved.' I had barely said this sentence twice and tears were streaming down my cheeks. I thought: What the f*ck just happened?! In Good Times I always played the bitch. Erik taught me that it's great if you're tough, but that you're even more interesting if you're vulnerable.”

'Absolution' from the series 'The Nudes'.