Ed van der Elsken: Up Close - Ed van der Elsken;Hinde Haest

Experience the vibrant, uncompromising world of Ed van der Elsken and his confrontational postwar street photography

A true pioneer of street photography, Ed van der Elsken’s (1925–90) raw, direct and deeply personal style not only captured the spirit of the postwar Netherlands but also anticipated today’s image culture. Recognized worldwide as a major voice of his generation, Van der Elsken is often placed alongside Robert Frank and William Klein—and today his work feels as urgent and relevant as ever. This richly illustrated publication reveals his groundbreaking vision through both iconic images and a wealth of never-before-published material (prints, contact sheets, letters, notes and book designs) from his working archive acquired by the Rijksmuseum and the Nederlands Fotomuseum in 2019. Based on new research by curator Hinde Haest, the book offers the first in-depth study of Van der Elsken's practice in over 30 years, shedding fresh light on his working methods, themes and artistic development as a photographer and filmmaker.