Bertien Van Manen

Bertien Van Manen is a Dutch photographer known for her intimate and personal style of documentary photography. Born in The Hague in 1942, she began her career as a fashion photographer in the 1960s. However, she soon became disillusioned with the commercial aspects of the industry and turned her attention to documentary photography.

Van Manen's work is characterized by its humanistic approach, focusing on the everyday lives of ordinary people. Her photographs often capture intimate and spontaneous moments, and she has a particular talent for capturing the nuances of human relationships. She has traveled extensively throughout Europe and the former Soviet Union, documenting the lives of people from all walks of life.

Her recent exhibitions include a large retrospective at the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2020), as well as exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum Tokyo, Japan, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam (2017), Boston Museum of Fine Arts, USA (2016), Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland (2013), FOAM, Amsterdam (2012), Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin (2012) and De Hallen, Haarlem (2006) and MoMA, New York (2005).