I was born in Zeist in 1953. When I was 12, I made my first photographs, started with art at the high school, making artworks in pop-art style. In the early seventies I was working at a laboratory and could collect and prepare rat skins, I have sold a lot of bracelets made of this “leather”, I had enough money to visit Ibiza, it was the Flower Power era, I was a hippie . Since then I’m busy with all kind of art.
I started as professional photographer in 1976, followed a 4 year scientific photographer training. In my youth is was not done to go to an art academy, but I had an opportunity to follow the new 5 year audiovisual training at the Utrecht Academy of Art in the late eighties, In 1992 I was graduate as documentary filmmaker, audiovisual designer.
I lived in different cities and moved to Dronten in Flevoland in 1992, I worked as designer at a Veterinary Research Institute. In 2005 it was combined with a job at the Wageningen University.
I could mix my work with my art skills, it kept me sharp and could mutually apply to both activities, I was free to use both parts of my interests, free as a bird, I liked it. In 2016 I was early retired and now I’m working as freelancer.
Flevoland is a 50 years “young” part of The Netherlands, it is mostly an agriculture polder. My home is built on the old sea bottom 6 meters below sea level. This polder is my studio, there is a lot of beauty to enjoy, a lot of my work comes from this area.
I’m an audiovisual designer, photographer and documentary videographer.
My documentary work – usual with creative but minimal Photoshop adjustments – for example by combining photos I took of objects in the polder on different moments in different layers. This results in an almost undetectable de-realization (such as a sunny field in a cloudy landscape). Humans and other objects are usually also undetectably minimally changed. A slightly deforming filter does not show reality but it does provide a clear image of the object.
Characteristics are bright colors, detail photos and combinations of photos. I also try to provide a slightly altered look of humans in their surrounding in my photos (such as my “ Poldergasten” series and “Lowlandgangers”).
I’m a humanist, I respect people in the way they are, as example: I don’t like to use voice-overs in my short movies and documentaries. I use the text and voices of the persons who are in this films, in my opinion this is more natural and less boring. I also organize workshops on photography and video/film production.
I’m also active on social media and as curator for different cultural and art projects. As artist and audiovisual and graphic designer I started with art group projects begin 1992 in Flevoland, The Netherlands. I was a member of a Flevoland artist group till 2011, I was also active in the board, planning and working together, documenting all projects. In 2010 I went international, joint some international art groups and exhibitions in The Netherlands, Greece, Denmark and Turkey, mostly also active in the board and organization of exhibitions.
I am still active in different online art groups and on social media. I like to connect with artists and artworks on a global way. I like to see the different kinds of art, the Russian and Eastern Europe artists are more traditional, the Western European artists working in a quit different style. I was surprised of the conceptual art of our South-Korean art friends.
As artist and co-curator and participant of Gogyoshi Art Project international (GAPi) I am very glad we can exhibit this project through the world. The fear for earthquakes, rain floods and nuclear pollution is still all around us, it is still necessary to raise awareness and understanding the misery of the people of Fukushima.
Thanks to the Japanese artist Chiyuky Itoga, who started the art project “100 artworks for Fukushima” in Japan, where I met Ed Hanssen for the first time online (we both joined this project and exhibit our works) I read his proposal to start an art project in The Netherlands: GAP, a day later I joined his idea and GAP was born. Now 500 artists from all over the world are connected on Facebook, the world is a global village now.
Of course we cannot forget to thank the Japanese poet Taro Aizu, who has written a lot of poems about his hometown Fukushima from which we can select some great poems for inspiring us to make artworks. International artists joint GAPi, shared his feeling by making art.
Fred van Welie
Curriculum Vitae
Name: Fred van Welie
Address: De Kaapstander 38
8251 LH Dronten
The Netherlands
E-mail: avwelie@solcon.nl
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Short Bio
– I was born in Zeist (nearby Utrecht), started in 1969 with photography and art, my first art was a kind of pop art. At school I draw and sold A0 size Indian ink posters to earn my first holiday to Ibiza. Since then I’m busy with all kind of art.
Livedin different citiesin the middle part of Holland and moved to Dronten, Flevoland in 1992. It is a ‘50 years young‘ part of The Netherlands, mostly an agriculture polder. My home is build on the old seabottom 6 meters below sealevel.
-I am an audiovisual designer, photographer and videographer.Worked as scientific photographer since 1973 at TNO Food in Zeist, in 1991 started as designer and photographer at the Central Veterinary Institute in Lelystad. From 1995 I worked as audiovisual designer, from 2005 till 2015 at the Wageningen University Research Centre. I have made a lot of short project videos of, for example, farmers, researchers who want to tell about their ideas and work. Glad I could use my artistic view by the production of a lot of communication products.Free to use both parts of my interests, free as a bird, I liked it. In 2016 I was early retired and now I’m working as freelancer.
– As audiovisual designer I have my own company, WAV Productions, started in 1992, with which I can work on projects (such as a school project I did for the municipality of Dronten in 2008). I also have made some longer documentaries in which I use the text and voices of the persons who are in this films, I don’t like to use voice-overs, in my opinion this is more natural and less boring. Also it gives me the possibility to organize workshops on photography, video/film production.
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Statement
‘The Flevo polder is my studio‘, there is a lot of beauty to enjoy. A lot of my work comes from this area.As artist involved with different national and international art projects. I’m active on social media and you can find me on different websites and platforms.I like to travel, meet other cultures and enjoy life, I’m a humanist.
– My documentary work – usual with creative but minimal Photoshop adjustments – for example by combining photos of objects in the polder on different moments on different layers. This results in an almost undetectable de-realization (such as a sunny field in a cloudy landscape). Humans and other objects are usually also undetectably minimally changed. A slightly deforming filter does not show reality but it does provide a clear
image of the object.
Characteristics are bright colors, detail photos and combinations of photos. I also try to provide a slightly altered look of humans in their surrounding in my photos (such as my “ Poldergasten” series and “Lowlandgangers”,
See: http://www.behance.net/fredvanwelie, https://www.youtube.com/user/vanwelie13/videos, https://plus.google.com/+FredvanWelie,
https://www.facebook.com/fred.vanwelie
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Productions and exhibitions since 1992:
Aduno kwa wo (C’est la Vie), a documentary about the Dogon in Mali (1992)
Video “Ploegen”, a documentary about a KVF (Artists Group Flevoland) project at Schokland (1995)
Exhibition and Designing and producing the catalogue for an exchange program between artists from Flevoland and Ethiopia (1996).
Beginning of the Photo project “Polder colors” (since 1994)
“Dronten, my spot”, a documentary (1996) in which pupils tell about their favorite spot in Dronten. Multimedia object in the municipality of Dronten (1996, in cooperation with different KVF artists)
Cooperated to Kunst – a birthday calendar about 25 years of Dronten (1997)
Dreams about Garbage in cooperation with NCDO 1999/2000 (an exhibition which took place insidea garbage collection car), at different locations in Flevoland.
Project “Omtrent Deuren” during the exhibiition Gewild Wonen, september 2001 in Almere.
Beginning of the Photo project “Poldergasten”, such as the series Lowlands 2002 en 2003
Geen Zee te Hoog, school project and exhibition about the future of the rising sea level and itsconsequences (in Flevoland and other places) 2005
Exhibition at the main office of FNV – Kiem, Amsterdam March – November 2005
Exhibition at the opening of the Meerpaal, October 2005
Video en photography production for the promotion of Cultural Art Centre and “Meerpaal” activities.(Ordered by the municipality of Dronten) 2005/2006.
Exhibition at the Dronten library, February – March 2006
Exhibition in the Stadsgehoorzaal Kampen, April – Juli 2006
Photo project with primary school pupils (final class). How to photograph my district and neighbors.The decoration of the exhibition about district renewal in Biddinghuizen – September 2007
Uit je platte dak, Nagele April 2008 Exhibition and Photo editing on the spot, (for those interested).
Kerst and Carry (Christmas and Carry) Gallery Corossia, Almere-Haven December 2008
Uit je platte dak, Nagele April 2010 exhibition and Photo editing on the spot.
Exhibition AthensArt, Athens 2010 (+ started the Athensart Ning site, worked as a webmaster, invited in the organization to help to arrange the exhibition and as contact for all artists, worked indifferent commissions and designed with another Dutch artist the catalogue 2500 exp. worldwide).
Video documentary “Social (M)eating” , about creative cook Amaro, 2011
Exhibition Human rights Flag, (group) Dronten, Maastricht, Alkmaar and the rest of the world – 2013
Member of Axlepin Publishing, Fillipines, Photographer award, 2014
Exhibition (group) 100 artworks from the world for Fukushima, Tokyo and Fukushima 2012-2014
Member of Artists for Peace International (W-AFPIAAP), Turkey, exhibition in The Netherlands in collaboration with Foundation La Casa Holandesa – Terra Dell’ Arte, Utrecht, April 2014.
Elements of Nature exhibition (as member of ArtNations, Germany), Munich 2014
Exhibitions (group) and co-organizer Gogyoshi Art Project : My hometown Fukushima, an exhibition with Dutch artists inspired by Taro Aizu a Japanese poet from Fukushima.2012- 2016
Exhibition at the PAS headquarters (peace and Art Society), Faro, Portugal 01-02-2015
Exhibitions (group) and co-organizer Gogyoshi Art Project international: “My hometown Fukushima”, international exhibitions inspired by Taro Aizu a Japanese poet from Fukushima. First in Munich, Germany, After Germany new exhibitions were held in Faro, Vila Real de Santo António, Castro Marim, Ayamonte, Alcoutum, Sanlúcar, Cachopo, Olhão (Portugal/Spain) and Macedonia 2013-2016. Also organized and designed the catalogs.
Gogyoshi Art Project international exhibition at The Haegeumgang Theme Museum and the Art Lee Museum, Geoje and other places in South-Korea2015-2016. Designed the English catalog.
I’m official chairman and member of the Art Committee ICAF International Culture and ArtFederation, South-Korea, 2016.
The 2nd International Environment Exhibition started at the Haegeumgang Theme Museum, Geoje, South-Korea, travelling around South-Korea 2016-17.
Exhibitions of the Kunstraad Dronten (Lending of art) Dronten, several photo works, 2001-2016.
Several other yearly exhibitions and activities; as the annual KVF “Voorjaarssalon” 1994 –2011.
Fred’s Gallery
