Matthijs Uivel– Photographer, Curator, and Educator

By Nikki Jennings

22 March 2021

Based in Amsterdam, Matthijs Uivel works as a photographer, curator, and educator. He teaches a variety of photography courses at the Webster Leiden campus, including digital image editing and gallery management. 

In this interview, Matthijs talks about his experience teaching during the pandemic, discusses his recent photographic projects, and shares advice for students interested in studying photography.

Nikki: What is your approach as an educator?

Matthijs: Most of the classes I teach have been more on the practical side. I help students get a sense of programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. I show them how to utilize these tools to evolve as artists and create their own style, including how to approach clients and how to publish work. 

Nikki: What is your favorite thing about teaching at Webster and what are some of the challenges?

Matthijs: One of the things I really enjoy about teaching at Webster is the higher level, or expectation, I can put on the courses in comparison to classes that I teach at a college in Amsterdam. I can expect students to be more precise in articulating what they want and how they intend to get there. I teach not only the very basic practical topics, but also have an opportunity to work with students on a higher academic level. That’s what I really enjoy– the balance between these two.

The challenge of this time is teaching online. I think it's really necessary to be face to face with the students, to have this discord about “what do you want?” or “what can I offer you?”. Online classes lack the element of seeing someone in real time. That's a huge challenge. This can translate into lower motivation– not only from students, but also from teachers. We need to find ways of supporting each other during this time to keep our focus.

Photo from Dancing Notes (2020)

Nikki: Many of our faculty are very active outside of lecturing. Can you describe a bit about your professional career outside of Webster? 

Matthijs: I mainly work as a photographer. In addition, I do book design, web design, I organize various artistic events, and I publish work. As a photographer, I really like to take my time and create works that aren't as rushed in any way. That requires me to be financially independent towards my art. Luckily, I am in a situation where because I teach, I generate enough funds to be financially independent within my artistic ambitions. 

Nikki: How does your experience working as a professional photographer influence the way you teach?

Matthijs: I like to think that because I have my own artistic practice, I can offer more within my teaching. A good professor approaches any subject through their own lens and experiences. I produce art. The main thing I can talk about is my art and the art world from my own experience. In that sense, my professional career is very tied to what I do as a teacher. I bring my experiences as an artist and my view on the art world to the class. I think the job of a teacher is then to formulate and explain your opinions. 

Nikki: I’ve briefly looked on Instagram into your new series titled Dancing Notes (2020). What is this project all about?

Matthijs: Dancing Notes is a project that is going to be published sometime in the next few months in a Scottish periodical called the Notes Journal. The project is about Victims of the First World War. Several patients were returning from the front lines after being exposed to what was then called “shell shock”– now diagnosed as PTSD. What happened back in 1914-1921 is that a lot of the soldiers returning from the front lines were displaying “defects”, or mental disorders, that were new to a lot of the medical field. They tried to experiment and find a sufficient way of treating these patients but didn't really know what to do. 

During this time of looking for treatments, they laid the groundwork for what is now known as creative therapy. Creative therapy is where patients suffering from various mental disorders are treated by having to create art. They also do other recreational exercises like pottery, gardening and dancing. The creative therapy was actually quite effective in helping them reconnect and heal from this exposure to very extreme violence. I found it poetic in a way to see these two sides: extreme violence and the act of dancing as a means to deal with that. I wanted to create a work about that. 

Photo from Dancing Notes (2020)

Nikki: What inspired this work and the overall approach you took?

Matthijs: I came across the concept because I was looking for a new project. Much of my work deals with topics of isolation, detachment and loneliness. After reading some of the work by war poets, such as Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, officers returning from the frontlines, and also using writing and poetry as a means of dealing with this trauma, I was very struck by the isolation of what shell shock creates. It grew into this story of dancing as a means of healing that originated from the concept or the idea of isolation.

Nikki: Thank you for sharing about your new project. Finally, do you have any advice for students who are interested in entering into the world of photography, curating and other creative arts?

Matthijs: For students that are currently choosing a course or university, it's very important to do your research. Go to the open days. For example, Webster Leiden will be hosting various sample classes for prospective students in order to get a feel for the online classroom environment. 

For students that have already started their studies (online), remember that it's really important not to lose track of your responsibility, the investment you need to make, into your studies. When we attend classes in person, students have certain responsibilities such as being on time, doing their homework, reading, etc. But you also need to focus on structuring your online studies accordingly. Try to set specific study times and make sure you're awake and visibly online. 

Unfortunately, this is not easy. I totally get that. But I believe that for all of us who are able to step up in a time like this and invest that extra effort, we will see this returned to us when we emerge on the other side. We will then finally be able to say, “look at what we overcame”. That will be our badge of honor and it will underline the strength of students and faculty alike.

Check out the links below to view more of Matthijs’ work.

–Website: https://www.matthijsuivel.com/

–Instagram: @m.uivel