Hans Withoos studied from 1983 to 1989 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tilburg. After that he started a very successful career as a photographer in the commercial and fashion world. Over the past twenty years he has happily combined assignments with his free work. Although he is a very successful international photographer, with clients in Brazil, Spain, Italy, the United States and Morocco, he has always made time for his own art. Over the years he has made numerous photo series, at locations all over the world.
Hans is fascinated by beauty in all its forms: the beauty of drama, the body and light, but also the beauty of suffering – as can be seen in his series Nocturnal Delight , based on the seven deadly sins.
His series New Romantics and Lady with her Golden Toys show his fascination with the beauty of power, and his most recent still life series, Withoos meets Withoos , is all about the beauty of symbolism. Like all of his work, his still lifes are characterized by his dramatic use of light and the layering that is so characteristic of his style.
Hans Withoos’ photography is set in a world of abundance and artificiality, suggesting a certain decadence. It is a world that feels both strange and familiar. The figures that populate his images become archetypes, causing the viewer to experience a sense of alienation. His work is layered, with carefully staged images and a unique aesthetic. The images sometimes evoke emotions such as suffering, sensuality and oppression; at other times they are deliberately emotionless
