With ‘En masse’ Noortje has construed the first mass image, containing several societal themes. By doing so, she hopes to spark a conversation. The example given here is based on equality, which is why she has used all colors of the rainbow, and a varied cast of models of which Noortje herself didn’t know what their genders and profiles were. 

The first image, where it all began is RAINBOW.
Not by coincidence the first image made in 2019: “everyone is equal” runs through every mass portrait that followed. This row of people doesn’t just wear the colors of the rainbow; they are the colors. A reflection of our multicultural society, carefully composed to accurately represent that diversity.

“Where was this photo taken?” It’s a question almost everyone asks me when they see an image from this series. But where the photo was taken is not the point. The real focus should be on who we see in these images.

 

Since the start of this project in 2019, countless people have stood in front of my lens. Through group portraits, I brought together people who all share a connection to a specific, social theme. In three exhibitions : EN MASSE, ALLES VAN WAARDE (at the MAS), and HAGEN, a few of these portraits have so far been shared with a wider audience. 

In my group portraits, I strive for a certain choreographic precision. My aim is to create images that appeal aesthetically to a broad audience. The photographs are stylized, but I prefer to leave in the small imperfections and coincidences. These emphasize the authenticity of my models, who are real people. They contribute not only to the aesthetic but also to the content of my work, because as a photographer I want to draw attention to themes such as identity, body image, inclusion, and social structures. My intention is not to impose judgment, but to break taboos and spark conversation through the images these themes evoke in me.

 

Over the past six years, this project has given me an intimate glimpse into the lives of people who, any other day, might simply disappear into the crowd. I’ve been entrusted with stories of hope, sorrow, but above all resilience. Each mass portrait of people who don’t know one another but share something in common, works in an almost therapeutic way. The participatory nature of my work not only brings people together, it is also for me as an artist and as a person an enormous gift and a constant source of inspiration. With this collection of group portraits from the 21st century, my goal is to give a face to the anonymous masses.