Biography

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Erik Hijweege (1963) decided to follow his heart and change his career to become a photographer in 1998. In his personal work Hijweege has shown himself to be an explorer, fascinated by nature, with its romantic beauty and it’s overwhelming power.

After 3 expeditions in Africa, he published Noir, a book of photographs on San tribes and African albinos. Hijweege started chasing big weather and tornadoes in 2006. This resulted in his first international solo show in New York and the Supercell book. His passion for Sublime Nature also took him to the largest waterfalls on Earth. These images were translated in poetic photogravures. The Remote project showing small houses in grand nature is his latest addition within the Sublime Nature theme.

In 2013 Hijweege started using the 19th century wet plate collodion process for his personal work. The first project with glass positives focused on a fragile subject matter. Based on the IUCN Red List Hijweege photographed endangered species preserved in ice. This series was exhibited at the Dutch Natural History Museum raising awareness for this important matter. The Endangered book was published in 2014. As a followup to the Endangered project Hijweege started New Habitat in 2017. As threatened animals are vulnerable in their natural environment, this new series is about relocating endangered species to safer grounds. New Habitat was also exhibited at the Dutch Natural History Museum.

His passion for “the Sublime” and love for nature are combined in his Nibelungen project. Hundreds of thousands of starlings whirling in the sky before they go to sleep creating stormlike clouds in the skies. This series is exhibited at the Natuur Museum Fryslân. The Spreeuwendans / Swirling Starlings book is published to accompany this exhibition.

Monographs

  • Noir, Uitgeverij de Verbeelding, 2004
  • Human, Blurb 2009
  • Supercell, Hatje Cantz, 2011
  • Holland, Uitgeverij de Kunst, 2012
  • Een eigen gezicht, Ella Editions, 2014
  • Endangered, Ella Editions, 2014
  • Spreeuwendans / Swirling Starlings, Waanders Uitgevers 2023