INTERVIEW WITH WEN ROKS
Wen Roks (b.1971, the Netherlands) studied and observed her own 16-year old daughter for one full year. In ‘SIXTEEN’, a series of black and white photos, Roks captured her daughter transforming from being a child into a young adult woman.
Roks also created another body of work ‘CONNECT’, for which she followed a group of young teenagers to a small lake at the border between Germany and the Netherlands. They spent most of the warm summer evenings around a lake and a forest where it was impossible to use any mobile devices. Instead, the group was swimming and relaxing on the shore, in close relation to each other and their surrounding nature.
As a mother, was it difficult for you to observe the transformation of your daughter, from a girl to a woman?
At first, I expected a lot of obstacles. For instance, that I will be distracted because she is my own child or because I know her so well. However, as we started it actually felt so natural! I was surprised how easily we could communicate during the shoot. It confirmed that our connection as a mother and daughter is strong.
Besides, I think that every mother wants her daughter to grow up in the best possible way, but also feels a need to slow down the process of their child becoming an adult.
You photographed ‘SIXTEEN’ in black and white. The series seems to indicate “pastness” – a fleeting moment.
I have always preferred black and white images, as they evoke a sense of stillness and provide a moment for reflection. But yes, I think that this also works for the pastness as expressed in ‘SIXTEEN’. Most of my work is nostalgic, and so are my memories of my daughter growing up.
In your other project, ‘CONNECT’, you photograph strangers. How would you describe the creative process in comparison to ‘SIXTEEN’?
For ‘CONNECT’, I took the role of an observer. All scenes took place outside by a beautiful lake around the time of the so called ‘golden hour’ on a very warm summer evening. I wanted to capture the silence of this small group. They seemed to whisper, and their movements slowed down at some point. For a couple of hours, we were all in a state of calmness.
Both of your series portray the youth, why do you focus on this group of people specifically?
I have other interests as well, actually. At this moment, I am working on a project capturing the oldest communities of various cities and villages. My models are mostly around 85 to 90 years old. During the shoots, we talk extensively about their memories and experiences of the past. Their stories are extremely valuable, just as much as those of the youth.
You can meet Wen's work and other 99 great photography talents on FRESH EYES book.