made in holland
2017 - 2020

Photo artworks that tell a story

Shooting for this series, which was 4 years in the making, Kaat Stieber made use of various locations and a variety of different media. Photos of objects, still lives and people are shot at her studio. The scenery is found on her travels and on walks through nature. Stiebers carries her camera with her wherever she goes. A beautiful sky, a lonely tree or a solitary cow, she captures the images to add them to her private collection.

Whenever a story starts to dawn on the horizon, she starts sketching. This way, she is able to visualise what is needed and which elements she would like to add to the image. Then, she can start adding images from her own database to the composition. If necessary, she goes out in search of any missing elements.

Any photographic image is therefore often composed of several different photos, which Kaat adds to by digitally painting over it. Her pieces are often made up of twenty or more layered images.




an ode to the old masters

An ode to those who saw the light. The painters of the Dutch Golden Age chose their lighting and backgrounds with care. The works of Kaat Stiebers are greatly inspired by the old masters. Working only with daylight, these painters preferred north-facing workshops, which meant a soft but fairly consistent light source. Although Kaat Stiebers makes use of modern techniques, she also prefers to work with a single light source in a darkened room, which brings a continuity and unity to her oeuvre.

THE OLD MASTERS MEET MODERN TECHNIQUES

Not only does Kaat pay homage to the 17th-century painters in the techniques she employs, but also in her subjects. Famous works are often referenced, brought into modernity through the art of digital photo manipulation and mixed media, blending perfectly to create new and inspiring pieces. In a sense, the old works take on a new life.

landscapes

Kaat Stieber is a fine art photographer who blends modern surrealism with Dutch renaissance art in her images. Employing a broad set of creative skills – including an internationally acclaimed background in theatre and costume design – her photos are a display of keen cultural awareness and craftsmanship. Every picture tells a story. Memories of a classic Dutch childhood and experiences of the artist as a grown woman are told through landscapes, still lives and portraits. This series is an introduction to the work of Kaat Stieber and an ode to the rich history and the distinctive beauty of the Netherlands.



diptychs

DUTCH DINNER

POFFERTJES – The comfort food of the Low Lands. These miniature fluffy pancakes, traditionally eaten with butter and powdered sugar, are a favourite at children’s parties, festivals and farmer’s markets. And yet, nothing beats home-made poffertjes on an ordinary weekday. 

SPRUITJES – On the opposite end of the food spectrum is coming home on a cold winter’s day to the unpleasant smell of Brussels sprouts. Mother has done it again. In the traditional Dutch household, it was either finish your plate or go to bed on an empty stomach – you can guess which option I chose.



108 pages of art collected in a book

made in holland

Pers: Vier jaar lang werkte ze aan een serie verhalen over een Hollandse jeugd en de Hollandse identiteit. “Dit boek is een ode aan ons cultureel erfgoed, ik kan oprecht trots zijn op ons kleine landje dat tegelijk ook zo groots is,” aldus kunstfotograaf Kaat Stieber. Kaat laat zich inspireren door 17e -eeuwse schilderkunst, een stijl die ze combineert met surrealistische en hedendaagse elementen. Over de hele wereld heeft ze al fans, zo ook bekende kunsthandelaar en Rembrandtexpert Jan Six (VI). Hij ontving tijdens de officiële lancering een eerste, gesigneerde versie van het boek