Micky Hoogendijk
“Art has always been part of my life. I grew up in Europe's international art scene; I spent years in front of the camera as an actress and model. Then my life’s work changed when my late mother’s last gift, a camera, inspired me and became the drive behind the creation of new life.”
Art has always been central to Micky Hoogendijk's identity. Born in Amsterdam on July 8, 1970, Micky Hoogendijk grew up in a global art environment, surrounded by artists, art dealers, theater makers, actors, and dancers. Micky's grandfather, Dirk Hoogendijk, was one of the Netherlands' most successful art dealers over the last century. As a little girl, Micky spent many hours in her father, painter Roelof Frankot's, painting workshop. He began as a photographer before changing his focus to abstract art.
“I want my art to be more than photographs. I seek out innovative printing technologies to create images with depth and richness, so they appear almost three-dimensional. I happily live and work in Los Angeles, CA.”
In 2009, Micky Hoogendijk received the last gift from her ailing mother: a professional still camera. This gift would change the course of her career forever. Two months later, her mother passed away. She moved to San Francisco, where she discovered the city's magnificent lines and architecture behind the camera. By 2010, living and working again in Los Angeles, Micky Hoogendijk uncovered her talent for artistic portraits. In 2012, she moved to Austin, Texas, where she created her first body of work. By 2015, she was back in Los Angeles, where she continues to work as an artist.
“The starting point of my work is an encounter, dream, or object that culminates in an explosion of ideas. On set, I let my model’s instinct and personality merge with my camera and drive my creative inspiration. I coax trust, contact, and vulnerability from my subjects to produce an image from which the viewer can create their own world. Recurring themes are religion, society and mythology; each work is intensely personal and takes both me and my subject on a journey that provokes fundamental questions about life and our existence.”
Mickyʼs work is characterized by keen, legendary images that profoundly touch your soul. With her camera, she captivates with lighting. Her images often carry religious and mythological themes, along with a touch of the everyday. Her work offers a journey into the nobility of vulnerability. She creates unembellished pieces that express the power of raw emotion. This theme is unmistakable in her 2012 portrait series, Regal.
Micky is incredibly unique in the sense that she feels just as comfortable behind the camera as she does in front it. By sharing her own experience, she connects with her subjects' emotions and leads them to reveal everything to her lens. The camera links her to her beloved mother and her own past. As a photographer and artist, she has come full circle. Growing up in the art world, Micky has found that everything seems to fall into place on her path as a photographer.
