At Foam, we believe that photography is a powerful tool for young people to express themselves. That's why fostering the next generation of photographers is at the heart of our museum's mission. Foam has partnered with Meervaart Studio over the past six years to create beautiful photography workshops for talented young people in Amsterdam, led by experienced photographers from Foam's extensive network.
We're proud to celebrate this fruitful collaboration with a hybrid presentation in the project space of the museum and on Foam’s digital platform. This special showcase is an opportunity to learn more about the work of five young makers who have been part of our many educational photography projects over the years. These programmes have given them the tools and guidance to capture their visions of the world around them.
As you explore the exhibition, you'll be struck by the creativity and originality of these young photographers. Each project highlights the value of providing young people with a platform to share their voices. Their work will inspire and encourage others to see the world in new and exciting ways.
Join us in celebrating the work of this generation of young Amsterdam creatives.
Empowering
the voices of
Amsterdam’s
youth through
photography
Celebrating 6 years
of Foam x Meervaart Studio
Foam proudly presents the work of five young photographic talents in this online exhibition. Each of them participated in a photography workshop series organised in collaboration with Meervaart Studio in the past six years.
Scroll to navigate horizontally through the exhibition or click an artist chapter in the top menu.
Grab your headphones! Click on the audio bubbles or videos to learn more about the works.
Kyara Bhiekharie
Mijn moeder, de zzp’er
"Despite my mother being a cleaner, she never told anyone and always called herself a 'freelancer'. Despite the shame, she was always the best dressed and I saw her as a fashion icon. In a culture where pride and shame have been key elements for centuries, it is time for us to modernise and turn shame into pride. My generation is no longer going to keep quiet about their lives or choices, which is something I also like to pass on to my mother, in the hope that she too will appreciate herself more."
Kyara Bhiekharie (2001) is an Amsterdam-based photographer. Untill the age of ten, she lived in Amsterdam Zuid-Oost, after which she moved to the Westerpark area. Here, her love for Amsterdam grew even more. In search of her passion, Kyara studied music management for three years, but eventually continued with a course in International Business.
Dina Bousbaa
Backbone
Growing pains. Chefchaouen 2017
‘And We have placed firm mountains upon the earth so it does not shake with them, and made in it broad pathways so they may find their way.’ (Quran 21:31)
"In my work, I combine the influences of my Moroccan roots and my faith. Thanks to my parents, I have been able to set footsteps throughout Morocco.
The strength that lies in the importance of community, in the echo of the adhan and in the nature around us. The desperation in social isolation, unemployment and limitations in education.
Looking over the shoulders of straight and arched backs, we get a view of the world they see before them and the numbers turn into human beings. The painful anonymity describes the underexposed stories."
The same route as yesterday. Tangiers 2017
The Elderly in Morocco, From Caring Families to Isolation.
Sea of opportunities. Assilah 2017
Thousands of refugees and migrants risk their lives in a sea journey between Morocco and Spain. ‘We would rather die than stay there’.
Reaching out. Amsterdam 2016
‘My Lord, increase me in knowledge.’ (Quran 20:114)
May our future be as bright. Assilah 2017
‘Praise be to Allah who created light from light.’ (dua noor)
Thoughts about tomorrow. Assilah 2017
God’s system of creation may guide us to reality.
Dina Bousbaa (1997) is a spoken word artist, photographer, social activist and future doctor. In her multidimensional work, Dina sheds light on Dutch-Moroccan history by telling visual and verbal stories that hit close to home. She applies her islamic beliefs to create awareness, establish social justice and amplify the importance of community.
Iyanla Etnel
Te Yu No Sabi Owru Bun, Yu No Kan Sabi Nyun Bun
(To understand the present, one must return to the past)
Etnel has never felt alone. The questions of who she is, where she comes from, and what she is a part of, frequently occupy her thoughts. She is currently exploring her identity through family narratives, Afro-spirituality, and the history of slavery. Through her work, she seeks to share her stories, making her culture more visible.
Bere tan bere
Teri Den
Trowé Gi Gron' Mama
Deng Di Du Mi
Iyanla Etnel (1999) is a photographer and filmmaker based in Amsterdam. Etnel was raised by her grandparents in a Christian household, where Afro-spirituality was present but seldom discussed. Rituals were a part of everyday life, but inquiry about them was discouraged, which further piqued her curiosity. Through photography and film, she retells her experiences, conducts experiments, and poses new questions regarding identity.
Yasemin Demirözcan
Strangely Familiar: A Visual Journey To My Ancestral Home
"Each year, I visit my father's birthplace, Yeşildere, where I embark on a quest to capture the essence of this place deeply woven into my family's history. The interplay of light and shadow, the contours of mountains, and the vibrant colors of buildings create a world simultaneously familiar and foreign.
These photos, part of a larger series I shot during the pandemic, illustrate a personal journey of discovery and recognition, weaving together the stories of my kin within the broader themes of family and belonging."
Fields of Solace
"In Akbunar (Akpınar, translation: white spring), located in the mountains surrounding the village where my father grew up, there is a water well that has been used by my family for generations.
On the same piece of land, my distant cousin and his wife built a small cottage a few years ago, where they now spend their summers.
In the photo we see Ali, their son, who is greeted by the rising sun every morning and spends his days with his flock of sheep."
Directing the Flock
My grandfather, consuming a piece of apple in front of his home in Yeşildere.
A shoe I found near a dormant volcano in the mountains of Karaman, thrown into the air by my dad.
Reloading Memories
Ali with a baby goat that was born 2 weeks prior to my visit.
Wheels of Legacy
Yasemin Demirözcan (2000) is an emerging photographer whose artistry is fueled by a deep understanding of human connections and social dynamics, rooting from her background in sociology. Firmly convinced of photography's ability to bridge gaps and evoke a sense of recognition, she seeks to spark meaningful conversations and explore the complexities of the human experience through her work.
Tal Ben Yakir
At the rib joint, we became men
The title of the series and the image descriptions are excerpts from ‘Ribs’, a poem by Sam Sax, about manliness and masculinity. Borne from conversations with friends and strangers across the world, the series explores questions regarding masculinity and emotion. What are men allowed to feel? How should they express their emotions? Who should they express these to?
In movies we see men rage, we see them tortured, we see them stoic and weeping and fuming and reserved. Yet the subjects confessed that emotion was often far more muted for them, far more private, and in some ways, far more lonely.
FINN //
came apart in my hands.
BENNI //
when i ate his ribs i became a man
BENNI //
or maybe just ribs braided together at the table
RORY //
there was a table i sat & ate at until i was something
at the rib joint
we became men.
his whole body
smoked for ten hours
came apart
in my hands.
sucked the meat
off him. sucked
the bone. marrow
becomes you,
you know?
you know, when you eat
something, it becomes you?
younger me grew broccoli crowns from our skull,
grew hand antlers, ground ankle beef.
at the table
god unhinged his ribs
at the joint. opened him
like an oven laughing
with smoke, steam
flapping its black wings
up from his organs.
when i ate his ribs
i became a man
or maybe just ribs
braided together
at the table
or maybe a creation myth,
when i ate him.
in the beginning there was a table
i sat & ate at until i was something.
my reflection swallowed in the plate,
my god, the weight of the blade.
the blade, singing.
you know when you become something it eats you? the teeth
in my hand. the weight of the handle.
the meat separating from bone.
JOHN //
you know when you become something it eats you?
FINN //
at the table god unhinged his ribs
Tal Ben Yakir (1999) is an Amsterdam-based photographer whose work is deeply influenced by her love for poetry. Raised by a single father with the rest of her family living abroad, art provided her with a sense of connection. For Tal, photography is a means for belonging in the world and understanding the people she meets.
Discover our Talent programmes
