Skip to content

FILMS
PHOTOGRAPHYthis page gives an overview of projects
STORE
ABOUTJan van IJken (Amersfoort, the Netherlands 1965) has been working as a photographer since 1995. He developed himself as a documentary photographer, specializing in self-initiated personal long-term photo-projects. Characteristic of his way of working is the use of natural light wherever possible and photographing people as natural as possible. This with an eye for detail and composition. He published 3 photobooks: A touch of Divinity – Images of devotion in Eastern Europe (2001) about devotion in Eastern Europe. For this project he photographed pilgrimages, liturgies and other religious rituals in Poland, Rumania, Slowakia and Ukraine from 1997 to 2000. New Neighbours (2004), about the enlargement of the European Union. For this project he photographed the daily life in sister-cities in both Eastern European and Dutch cities. Precious Animals (2005) about the relationship between man and animal in The Netherlands. The project was assigned by the Rijksmuseum and NRC Handelsblad. Filmmaker Since the beginning of 2008, Jan van IJken is developing himself as an independent fillmmaker. At the end of 2008, he finished his first short film Pigs, Pork and Paradise. Now he is working on a documentary about the relationship between man and animal.
CONTACTmailto:fotojan@xs4all.nl
NEWS

Tag: Eastern Europe

Jan van IJken is a filmmaker and photographer from the Netherlands, working at the interface of art and science.

His work is about the secrets of nature, microscopy, embryology and human-animal relationships.

01/05/2026
New Neighbours

Photo-project about daily life in five Eastern European and five Dutch municipalities. Van IJken has used the twinning of these municipalities as a starting point from which to compare everyday life in Eastern and Western Europe. People are the focus of this series of photos. The individuals who inhabit these images have been captured in all kinds of everyday situations.

Making use of the twinning of these towns and cities enabled the photographer to take advantage of existing contacts and networks. But the most fascinating aspect of this approach is undoubtedly the comparison it generates between how people in Eastern and Western Europe live on the eve of the enlargement of the European Union.

The reader is confronted with the question of whether the differences are really as great as is often assumed.

The photographs were taken between May 2003 and May 2004 in the following ten municipalities:

Amersfoort (The Netherlands) – Liberec (Czech Republic)

Zoetermeer (The Netherlands) – Nitra (Slovakia)

The Hague (The Netherlands) – Warsaw (Poland)

Wageningen (The Netherlands) – Gödölö (Hungary)

Ooststellingwerf (The Netherlands) – Ergli (Latvia).

The series was published in the photobook ‘New Neighbours’ (2004) and was exhibited in the Atrium, The Hague, The Netherlands

25/01/2012
A touch of Divinity

The crucifixion of Christ is acted out in a passion play performed in front of the monastery. The players are not really nailed to the cross as sometimes happens in the Philippines. Gorka Klasztorna, Poland, 28-29 March 1999.
One of the many processions has arrived. It goes around the church while participants sing songs in celebration of the Virgin Mary. Moisei, Romania, 14-15 August 1999.
Woman goes up the steep `Hill of Golgotha’ on her knees. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, 16-20 August 2000.
Women at prayer in the wooden church. Sieu, Romania, 5 September 1999.
The Transfiguration is one of the important festivals of the Orthodox Church. Here the festival is held in a big tent. Durau, Romania, 6 August 1999.
Young girls taking part as brides in the procession in tears at the end of the great Assumption procession. Kalwaria Paclawska, Poland, 11-14 August 2000.
Three times young people go around a chapel deep in the woods, on their knees, to ask for happiness in love. Kalwaria Paclawska, Poland, 11-14 August 1997.
Man in meditation at a vigil in a chapel. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, 31 March-2 April 1999.
A man wears a crown of thorns in remembrance of the Passion of Christ. Kalwaria Paclawska, Poland, 11-14 August 1997.
As soon as they have arrived at this Orthodox place of pilgrimage, pilgrims go around the church three times, on their knees. Grabarka, Poland, 18 August 1997.
Woman at prayer before a statue of the Virgin Mary. Jasov, Slovakia, 25-26 July 1998.
A pilgrim kisses a stone. The first chapels were built around 1600 after Mikolaj Zebrzydowski had had a vision. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, 31 March-2 April 1999.
Open-air service. Sihla, Romania, 7 August 1999.
A Franciscan friar conducts an orchestra consisting of pilgrims. Gora Swietej Anny, Poland, 14-16 August 1998.
‘Angel’ in the Assumption procession. Moisei, Romania, 14-15 August 1999.
Service to celebrate Independence Day. L’viv, the Ukraine, 24 August 2000.
A participant of the morning procession around Easter takes a short break. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, 10-13 April 1998.
‘Jesus’ climbing the `hill of Golgotha’ during the great Easter procession. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, 10-13 April 1998.
Funeral in accordance with ancient rites. Botiza, Romania, 5 September 1999.
A wedding in a small wooden church. The bride and groom, wearing crowns, walk three times around the altar with the Orthodox priest. Sieu, Romania, 4 September 1999.
Young girls taking part as brides in the procession listen to a sermon. Kalwaria Paclawska, Poland, 11-14 August 2000
Taking shelter from a cloudburst during the great Assumption procession. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, 16-20 August 2000.
Holy Communion during an ordination. Univ, the Ukraine, 27-28 August 2000.
The benediction offered by the priest in – mainly Orthodox – Rumania. Neamt, Romania, 5 August 1999.
Two priests go round the chapels. Kalwaria Paclawska, Poland, 11-14 August 2000.
A woman decorating a cross. In accordance with tradition pilgrims bring along a cross which they plant at the place of pilgrimage. Grabarka, Poland, 18 August 1997.
Evening service. Moisei, Romania, 14-15 August 1999.
A woman kisses an icon in the fairly new place of pilgrimage of Litmanova in Slovakia. Since the Virgin Mary appeared to an eleven-year-old girl in 1990, this place has drawn about 100,000 visitors a year. Litmanova, Slovakia, 5-8 August 1998.
Priest blesses the worshippers with holy water after the service on the monastery grounds. Neamt, Romania, 5 August 1999.
Ordination. Univ, the Ukraine, 27-28 August 2000.
In the villages of the Carpathian Mountains the children receive the benediction in the church before their first day at school. The Ukraine, 31 August 2000.
Open-air confession on the monastery grounds. Univ, the Ukraine, 27-28 August 2000.
A short break during the great procession. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, 16-20 August 2000.
In accordance with tradition the `brides’ of the procession cross the river. Kalwaria Paclawska, Poland, 11-14 August 2000.
Participants at the end of the Easter procession. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, 10-13 April 1998.
Liturgy during the festival of the Transfiguration in one of the few Orthodox places of pilgrimage in Poland. Grabarka, Poland, 18 August 1997.
Nuns in one of the numerous convents in Moldavia. Voronet, Romania, 8 August 1999.
In the monastery church during the celebration of Assumption. Moisei, Romania, 14-15 August 1999.
One of the most important places of pilgrimage in Poland is Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. A pilgrim kisses a cross in one of the 33 chapels on the grounds. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, 31 March-2 April 1999.
Lying on the ground in a cross-shaped position is one of the rites of penitence in remembrance of the Passion of Christ. Kalwaria Paclawska, Poland, 11-14 August 1997.
At a festival in celebration of St. Anna, confession is heard beside the church. Jasov, Slovakia, 25-26 July 1998.
Celebration of the five-hundredth anniversary of the monastery; at the `festival of the icon of the Mother of God of Suprasl’. Suprasl, Poland, 9-10 August 1998.
Service in remembrance of John the Baptist’s beheading. Arbore, Romania, 29 August 1999.
Easter. `Guards’ of the local fire brigade have taken up position beside the `sepulchre’ of Jesus in one of the Polish village churches. Lapsze Wyzne, Poland, 3 April 1999.
Confession in the monastery during a pilgrimage. Univ, the Ukraine, 27-28 August 2000.
Pilgrim. Grabarka, Poland, 18 August 1997.
A child kisses one of the icons of the Stations of the Cross. Moisei, Romania, 14-15 August 1999.
Worshippers waiting for the Archbishop’s blessing after the celebration of the birth of the Virgin Mary. Rozavlea, Romania, 8 September 1999.
Woman making her confession beside the church. Gaboltov, Slovakia, 18-19 July 1998.
Wailing woman at a traditional funeral, shortly before the service is held in the farmyard. Sieu, Romania, 4 September 1999.
Pilgrims. Grabarka, Poland, 18 August 1997.
Drunken pilgrim in the largest Catholic place of pilgrimage of Slovakia. Levoca, Slovakia, 4-5 July 1998.
Woman at prayer in the monastery church. Moisei, Romania, 14-15 August 1999.
Pilgrims kissing the steps in a chapel. Kalwaria Paclawska, Poland, 11-14 August 1997.
Pilgrims at the place of pilgrimage of Levoca, which is visited by many gypsies from eastern Slovakia. Levoca, Slovakia, 4-5 July 1998.

From 1997 to 2000 Jan van IJken worked on a photo project about religiosity in Eastern Europe. Travelling through Poland, the Ukraine, Slovakia and Rumania, he was present at pilgrimages, religious festivals, liturgies and processions.

Time and again he was touched by the people’s absolute devotion – in very difficult situations sometimes – and by the purity and sincerity of their rituals. The result is a series of 55 beautiful black-and-white photos which reflect the revival of religious traditions in a number of former Warshaw pact countries.

The photos were published in the photobook ‘A touch of Divinity’ (2001) and were exhibited in a travelling exhibition in monumental churches in the Netherlands.

25/01/2012