Pieke Pleijers

Pieke Pleijers (Utrecht, 1993) is an artist and photographer based in Amsterdam. He recently graduated from the VAV department at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. His graduation work included a series of 36 black-and-white still portraits, the text piece The Body Is Rocked In Disbelief printed as a poster multiple, and a video registration of the work Mutual Weight, performed as part of the Rietveld Uncut 2023 program in Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. His thesis, “A body to hold, unveiling the symbolism and meaning of carrying in art,” explores various ways of carrying and its implications through art history and contemporary culture.

For Best of Graduates 2024, Pieke presents an examination of intimacy and connection through his photography. Pleijers’ work delves into the nuances of how and why we portray others, capturing intimate moments with lovers, first encounters, and close relationships. These photographs document an intimacy that might otherwise be lost, marking an autobiographical timeline of togetherness. Pleijers seeks a form of surrender and concentration through dedication, whether to a subject, timeframe, or relationship. His commitment to analog photography underscores this drive, adding depth to his ongoing project aimed at developing a personal archive of queer identity reflective of his lived experiences.