Interview: Ben Vieberink
Luca Curci talks with Ben Vieberink during MIXING IDENTITIES – CANVAS INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 2023, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

“I’m the owner of the dance/art studio “To B” in Drachten, in The Netherlands. I make art in several forms: photography, dance, piano, and writing. In my studio, I give dance lessons, and expositions and now and then I give piano concerts. I’m interested in the human mind and body, I study human design; I expose in Holland and abroad with my photographs“.

Luca Curci- How important is the editing process in your work? How’s yours?
Ben Vieberink – Editing is indeed important in my work: it’s the whole package, photographing and editing make my signature. Colours, sharpness, lightning, cropping…to make fine art you have to edit your pictures! I want to create a kind of world around the subject. Everything in the picture is part of the picture, even if it’s black.

LC- According to you, what makes a good photo? Which details do you focus on?- Is there an unrealised or unrealisable project, even a crazy one, that you would like to work on?
BV – A good photo depends on so many aspects: subject, story, light/darkness/shadow, composition, creativity, sharpness/blur, colours/black white, structures, lines, making your own handwriting, the relation between photographer and model, and so on.

LC – Are your artworks focused on a specific theme?
BV – Mostly my art (portraits) has to do something with the human mind and emotions.. and its opens of course to the spectator’s thoughts and feelings.

LC – Did your style change over the years? In which way?
BV – My style hasn’t changed a lot. The “quality’ has. “Kill your darlings” and make a new start sometimes.

LC – We were attracted by your last artistic production, has the artwork presented been created for the exhibition or as a part of preexisting works?
BV – The works participating now in the expo were already existing in the series called “Clayers”: a combination of clay and layers. Clay is the human skin and the layers are the emotions underneath.

LC – Can you explain something about the artworks you have in our exhibition?
BV – I have chosen these works because the spectator chooses his own identity, as a reflection of his own feelings.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
BV – This is our first cooperation. We’d already had some nice conversations, so let’s see what the future brings!

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists?
BV – Itsliquid group can be a platform for a large scale of artists, from the beginning artist to the advanced.