Visual Ethnography alumna Wilke Geurds exhibits photography during Leiden Kunstroute
Alumni in the spotlight image: Wilke Geurds
Photographer and Visual Ethnography alumna Wilke Geurds captured special encounters during her travels. As an anthropologist, Wilke is always curious about other countries, people and cultural customs. That curiosity forms the core of her new photo exhibition, which can be seen during the Kunstroute this weekend.
You completed a bachelor's degree in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology and specialised in Visual Ethnography. How did these programmes shape you into the artist you are today?
'Anthropology taught me to look at the world in a different way, and that has a huge influence on my work as an image maker. The programme focused a lot on ethics: how you act, how you interact with participants, and how you avoid power imbalances. I don't want my role as photographer to control the narrative. Anthropology has taught me to create stories together, whereby, even though I am the one holding the camera, I always want to let the voice and story of the other person come through.'
You are an anthropologist and photographer. How do these two roles inform each other?
'As an anthropologist, I look at the world through a certain lens. I'm deeply interested in different cultures and want to understand why people act the way they do. I bring that attitude with me into my photography. When I want to photograph someone, I first take the time to really meet them and have a conversation. I always ask for permission, so that it doesn't become a "quick snap", but an image with an idea and a story behind it. In return, photograpy sometimes takes me out of my comfort zone. My camera takes me to places I might not otherwise visit, challenging me to question certain phenomena and situations. In this way, both roles constantly inspire each other.'
How do you manage to capture the intimacy of such an encounter in such a short time?
‘For me, it starts with taking my time. I often don't speak the language, but then I use Google Translate and I always learn a few basic words in the language of the people I meet, such as “hello”, “good day”, “thank you” and “may I take a photo”. That opens the door to conversation. I first make contact without the camera, for example by saying something about the place where we are. Only then do I ask if I can take a photo. When someone feels at ease and realises that I'm not just taking photos for my own gain, trust is established. In that calm atmosphere, real intimacy can develop and I can take a photo that is more than just a picture.'
‘Even if I only have a minute or two, I always make real contact, even if we don't understand each other. I always show the photos straight away and, if possible, I also share them immediately. That way, it's never just a matter of ‘'click and go'’, but a small shared moment. That makes the contact warm and sincere, even in short encounters.’
You describe the photo series and encounters as meaningful. What makes those moments meaningful to you?
‘Sometimes my camera brings me into contact with people I would never otherwise meet. One example is from Torro Torro in Bolivia. I was walking around there and saw an elderly man and woman working around their house. Normally, I might not have approached them, but now I felt that something special was happening and decided to make contact. The man welcomed me to his village and thought it was special that we were visiting this remote place. Even though I didn't speak Spanish, we had a warm conversation via Google Translate. We wished each other well, and that moment stayed with me.
In our daily lives, everything moves quickly and we sometimes don't really see each other anymore. But with my camera, I take the time to really see the other person. I approach people, which I might not normally do. That contact, however brief, makes a moment meaningful for me. A smile, a short conversation and people thanking you for wanting to photograph them can make your day.’
After all your travels and the people you have captured, is there a place or story you would still like to explore with your camera?
‘Definitely. I am working on an idea to compile stories. How and what, I will keep a secret for now. My dream is to eventually turn my own independent work into a book or a collection, so that the stories can be shared with the world and reach a wider audience. I also hope to be able to do regular assignments abroad, perhaps for a well-known travel magazine or an NGO. This exhibition has inspired me to focus more on narrative photography again, rather than commercial photography.'
About the exhibition
This exhibition focuses on the travels of photographer Wilke Geurds over the past few years. From the busy streets of Thailand and Laos to the desert landscapes of Oman and the vast biodiversity of South America, where she spent three months at the end of 2024. As an anthropologist, Wilke is always curious about other countries, people and cultural customs. That curiosity forms the core of this photo series. The work on display here is her personal work and invites you to take a look at different worlds through the lens of someone who observes with attention and encounters with openness. The exhibition was on display last month at the FSW and can be seen on 27 and 28 September during the Kunstroute in Leiden.
About Wilke
As a visual anthropologist, Wilke Geurds (27) has developed herself into a documentary maker, podcast maker and photographer. After studying Visual Anthropology at Leiden University, she continued her studies in Documentary and Fiction and also focused on other forms of storytelling. She now works as a freelance audiovisual producer, always exploring hidden social themes, often from a feminist perspective. Her approach is characterised by in-depth interviews and meaningful encounters, in which she strives to understand subjects from the perspective of others. In her recent work, she is actively committed to women's rights. For example, she created the campaign Doodzieke Kosten for the Voices for Women foundation, about the inequality between women's and men's bodies in healthcare. She was also City Photographer of Leiden for a year and made the documentary F*ck Endo: Meer Dan Mentruatiepijn (F*ck Endo: More Than Menstrual Pain) as part of her master's degree in Visual Anthropology.