Exploring care through image-making/ photography
Mare Veen (also known as Marloes Verhoeven), visited us last autumn for the third time. A Dutch photographer, she seems to draw from an endless well of inspiration—ideas bubbling and shimmering to the surface. She works in and ‘together with’ nature, where she explores the notion of care and the delicate tension between intervening and letting be. It’s time to get to know her better.
At the age of 35, Mare discovered that she is an artist — and more specifically, a photographer. This realization came only after she had completed several studies and worked in a wide range of professional contexts.
She began her career studying theatre at the Theatre Academy in Maastricht, the Netherlands, but this did not give her what she had expected. Several years later, she obtained a Master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies at Radboud University in Nijmegen. After graduating in 2004, she worked for various NGOs, conducting social research and addressing human rights issues in the Netherlands and in Latin American countries such as Peru, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Mexico.
Although this work was meaningful and fulfilling, it never felt like home. She always felt something was missing, sensing there was something else she wanted — but she didn’t know what.
That changed when a friend decided to enroll in the Photo Academy. Surprisingly, Mare felt jealous. A feeling she always takes very seriously. She realised this was what she wanted to do. She enrolled at the Photo Academy in Amsterdam. Two years later, while cycling through the city, she suddenly had a clear realization: this is what I am — an artist. She had just turned 35.
This insight felt like a lightning strike. It gave her space — and permission — to play, explore and to let things happen without preconceived ideas. Of course, she still encounters her own limitations and sometimes becomes result-oriented. But when she allows herself to play and let go — which often happens — the process becomes truly magical.
Working Method: Balancing Play and Direction
” My art can be seen as a combination of poetic, illustrative, conceptual and performative work. I often work from a theme or a specific content. I like carrying that content with me with an open mind. I consider myself a visual researcher. I investigate a theme by talking with people, by reading, writing and walking around, by letting something emerge. By really looking without expectations, inspiration can arise naturally and ideas start to form. Once I have those ideas, I look for the right material, which I take into nature and hope that everything comes together.”
Recurring Themes
“I’m interested in philosophical themes and due to my background, I’m also drawn to social and societal issues.
During my time at the Photo Academy, I was always the one addressing topics with a critical mind. For example if we had to make a fashion series, I would return with a series critiquing the fashion industry itself.
The notion of care and creating caring societies has been my main focus in the past years. Within this I explore my own caring practice as a mother and the tension between care and self-care, between carrying and being carried.
Creating images for me is also a process that involves a lot of care. I try to collaborate with nature, by listening, observing what can be done. My motto is to always leave the places I work in cleaner than how I encountered them.”
Daily Practise
“Unfortunately my daily life doesn’t give me much space to work on my art. I work 3 days a week as a senior researcher and lecturer at the UNESCO Centre for Arts and Learning (UCAL) at ArtEZ, University of the Arts in Arnhem.
I have two young children who still need a lot of care. In theory I have one day a week for creating. In practice, my work and family life take up most of my energy, leaving little room for art during a regular week.
That’s why a residency like Artisa is incredibly valuable to me. It allows me the space to fully sink into the creative process and to use the fantastic garden as my studio. I can’t just make something quickly in between other tasks.
Another important part of my work as a photographer is stepping outward and doing marketing. This takes a lot of time: organizing exhibitions, participating in art fairs — also internationally. These investments pay off through audience response and attention. Sometimes the reactions truly lift me up — especially when people are deeply moved.”
The Role of Artists in Society
“I think that artists are important for our society. They bring different ways of thinking, seeing and relating which is so needed. They can make people experience something differently, thereby offering alternative perspectives alongside the dominant ones. Even in scientific research, creative research methods can access stories and reveal complex issues that otherwise would remain hidden.”
Inspiration and Artistic Voice
“It took time to develop my distictive visual signature. Because content is so important to me, I initially wanted to do documentary photography — to work with socially relevant stories. But it didn’t feel right, I missed creative elements and I had too many ethical questions about it.
Then I began experimenting with fashion photography, but there, I missed content again. I realized I wanted to take the content from my own interests.
I’m not a perfectionist; I actually like imperfections in my images. I enjoy working with models and materials and intervening in nature in a way that creates a sense of alienation.”
What is your vision and desire for the coming years?
“I started relatively late as an artist, so I give myself more time to build a strong portfolio. I hope to find a gallery that suits me and that makes me more visible internationally. Ultimately, I hope to give more attention to my art practice and to add meaning to this world through my art work, in whatever way possible.
I see myself researching care in its many forms through the arts, because it gives me hope. I can imagine working with an organization that has a question — for example, how do we ‘do care’ in our organization? I could spend time there as an artist-researcher-in-residence, conducting research together with the people, creating images, texts, and video,. The added value for organizations is to gain new insights in an embodied and experiential way.”
What advice would you give to a young, aspiring artist?
“The art world can easily seduce you to make work that sells, so I would say: constantly check if you are still working from your own inner desires and urgencies. Stay true to those.
And read The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin.”
You can follow Mare Veen on instagram or look at her website.
