About me
Here you find my statement and short biography. Scroll down for a timeline of selected events.
Self Liberation
I work mainly as a fine art photographer. In my autonomous work I express personal feelings on topics like intimacy, trust, sadness and individuality. With my photography I want to create and experience. To display my path to self liberation. The working process that goes with it, is one of curiosity and exploring boundaries. I work either in collaboration with trusted female models or in seclusion when I perform self-portraiture. Through experimenting, I find the desired aesthetics and atmosphere. Although focused on results, experimenting gives room to contingency. Also, it delivers the documentary touch I search for.
A life within a life
I am very much triggered by the idea that with photography, you can live a life within a life. Meaning that whenever the camera is brought into the scene, behavior shifts and an alternate proceeding of life takes place. One that would never be, without the camera. I call it 'interrupting my reality, to make imagery that represents my reality'. ©
Signature
The images I love to make are those that seem to sprout from dreams, set in places with sober context. I like to let my feelings speak through the images. To support that technically, I make most of my recordings with a digital pinhole camera. Since 2011 I barely use glass lenses anymore. I developed a style of shooting pinhole images in low light. Using long exposure times, painting on the face and body with a moving light source. This combination has become my signature.
The line between pain and pleasure
During my artistic career, I shifted from harsh or graphic photo work, to a much softer approach, of translating emotions rather than literally showing my ideas. With my photography, I want to poetically address the line between pain and pleasure, comfort and discomfort. Early inspirations to me were Nobuyoshi Araki and Eric Kroll. Later, I got into the work of Antoine d’Agata, who I met during a workshop weekend at Magnum London. My ambition is to further expand my personal signature and share my findings concerning self liberation.
Biography
Rob Verbunt (The Hague, 1970) originally focused on a career as an advertising draftsman. After being involved in music and writing, he eventually graduates at Photo Academy Rotterdam. Rob's autonomous visual work, characterized by the use of pinhole technology covers themes such as individuality, sadness, intimacy and trust. 'With my photography I want to poetically address the line between pain and pleasure, comfort and discomfort. It is not uncommon for me to participate in my images as a set piece, telling or experiencing the story'.
In my professional photography career I was in gallery exhibitions, competitions and nominations. I won photo prizes and had magazine- and book publications. I exhibited in Japanmuseum Sieboldhuis Leiden and participated in the first edition of the Rotterdam Photo Festival. With my tattoo projection performance, we won the Public Choice Award at Museum Night Rotterdam. For a 48 Hour Film production, with Jesse Immanuel Bom and team I crossed over to directing, to end up winning Best Director in the multiple award winning short Lilith.
End of 2018 I started an artistic collaboration with fellow photographer Anna Witkowska. In our ongoing project called The Dream Vehicle we research the adult male-female relationship by means of a road trip through Benelux.
Thanks for your warm interest. Scroll down for a timeline of selected events.
© Rob Verbunt 2020.
03-2019 Start of 'The Dream Vehicle'
Taking off on a journey with Anna Witkowska in our long term project The Dream Vehicle. In which we research the adult male-female relationship by means of a road trip through Benelux. Follow our report on Instagram.
05-2019 Linklens Magazine
Honored with an editorial on linklens Paris 
07-2018 Magnum and BJP professional practice
Attending a two day masterclass on personal projects with Antoine d’Agata at Magnum London.
Photo: Maria Kjartans.
05-2018 Publication in SHOTS USA
My work published in SHOTS magazine issue 139, Self-Portrait edition.
10-2017 Live Someday, exhibition at Gallery DeelenArt
Group exhibition at DeelenArt gallery, Rotterdam. Showing personal projects in photo and installation. 
02-2016 Exhibition at Rotterdam.Photo, 1st edition
Participant at Rotterdam.Photo 2016 at Katendrecht. Group exhibition. In addition, Cultshot displayed my work throughout the city.
01-2016 Group exhibition Verloren Gevonden at Buddy Netwerk Den Haag
Group exhibition at Buddy Netwerk Den Haag.
'In Verloren Gevonden, Aris Vink, Paul Vos and Rob Verbunt show personal work about how they deal with loss.' Read press release (Dutch).
03-2015 Photoblogging for Oog op Zoetermeer
In spring and summer 2015, I blogged for OogopZoetermeer.nl with daily pictures of my town.
12-2014 Release Party GUP New Dutch Photography Talent 2015
Selected for the annual GUP book publication 'New Dutch Photography Talent 2015' with 99 other upcoming talents. Order your copy here.
01-2015 Group exhibition 'Het Verlangen' at Galerie Leidse Lente
Exhibition at Galerie Café Leidse Lente, Leiden. 
11-2014 Actor, director in the Award-winning 'Lilith'
For the Dutch 48 Hour Film competition, I was invited to act and direct the horror short Lilith. The film was made in 48 hours by a team of five. It won four awards and had three nominations. Watch it here.
Read article on Preview Magazine (Dutch). 
11-2014 Hellen van Meene Portfolio Review
Reviewed by the renowned Dutch portrait photographer Hellen van Meene.
09-2014 Group exhibition 'Huid en Haar' at Galerie Leidse Lente
Exhibition around our direct and physical exposure to the outer world. 'An art exploration on a tactile organ' at Galerie Café Leidse Lente, Leiden.
06-2014 Furnisher, editor at Heavens, Earth and People
Furnisher and editor of the Heavens, Earth and People exhibition at Gallery Armand Gaasch, Luxembourg. The exhibition was dedicated to the Tohoku flood in 2011 when a tsunami hit the east coast of Japan. Artists Horiren 1st, Serge Ecker and Mayumi Hirata payed tribute with installations, photography and live tattooing.
04-2014 Best Interactive show at Museumnight Rotterdam
For Museumnight 2014 Rotterdam at Photo Academy, I drew illustrations on perspex, projected them on visitors and shot their portrait. Favourite sheet was the Japanese dragon painting by Koizumi Junsaku. Photo Academy won the Public Choice Award for best interactive show. Many thanks to my team, Evita Gelderman and Sylvia Schraven. 
01-2014 Group exhibition 'Helden, Humor, Horror'
Group exhibition 'Helden, Humor, Horror' at Japanmuseum SieboldHuis, Leiden.
12-2013 Award for best artwork/ Exhibition at Japanmuseum SieboldHuis, Leiden
Winner of first prize in the 'Samurai Warrior contest' launched by Japanmuseum SieboldHuis and Galerie Diana Lepelaar in Leiden. Out of 91 entries, the jury was unanimous in choosing 'A skin to live on'. Read more (Dutch).
09-2013 Group exhibition 'Paerlen van de Swijnen'
Group exhibition 'Paerlen van de Swijnen' at De Fruitvis, Rotterdam.
07-2013 Group exhibition 'Beeldenstorm'
Group exhibition 'Beeldenstorm' at 4MKB Zoetermeer - with Eli Dijkers & Jesse Bom. Read press release (Dutch).
01-2013 Graduation exhibition 'Rapture' at Fotogalerie Rotterdam
Graduation exhibition 'Rapture' at Fotogalerie Rotterdam.
12-2012 Graduation exhibition 'Rapture'
Graduation exhibition NOIR at De Fruitvis, Rotterdam.
01-2013 Graduation exhibition at De Rotterdamse Schouwburg
Exhibition of 'Rapture' shown on the Mediawand at De Rotterdamse Schouwburg.
12-2012 Graduation from Photo Academy Rotterdam
Graduated from a three year education at Photo Academy Rotterdam. Photo: Celebration at De Fruitvis with fellow graduates Jesse Immanuel Bom and Eli Dijkers.
05-2012 First collaboration with Maris
In may 2012 I started an intense photographic relation with Maris, whom I met at a party and who said was willing to be my model throughout the final year at Photo Academy. With her I 'innaugurated' my pinhole photography that led to my Photo Academy graduation project Rapture. This image, at the end of our first shooting day was to mark the definitive take off.
06-2011 Solo exhibition and Art lecture at Anders en Meer Rijswijk
Exhibition of collected works at Anders en Meer, Rijswijk for business club Zoete Inval. 
06-2010 Masterclass Catwalk Photography at Foam Amsterdam
Selected for Foam_Lab Masterclass Catwalk Photography by Peter Stigter and team.
06-2010 Group exhibition 'The Eye' at Fotogalerie Rotterdam
Exhibiting at 'The Eye' at Fotogalerie Rotterdam.
Self portrait, Schiermonnikoog.
12-2009 Admitted to Photoacademy Rotterdam
End of 2009, I passed entrance examination at Photo Academy Rotterdam with self knotted rope imagery like shown. My three year course started in january 2010. 
05-2008 First rope installation
After buying the Self-Life-Death book by Nobuyoshi Araki, I got inspired to try out basic rope installation. The lady I photographed here gave me the opportunity to build my first nude and bondage portfolio.