Ruben Hamelink

documentary - film - photography - history - social

Ruben Hamelink (1992) is a self-taught photographer and filmmaker from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. In his work, he examines how people interact with the historical context of their environment and explores how history shapes the identity of a country and its inhabitants and vice versa.

By documenting the world around him, he aims to challenge assumptions, disrupt stereotypes, and prompt viewers to consider their own place in the larger narrative of human experience. He strives to approach each project with empathy and sensitivity, recognizing that the stories he tells belong not only to the past, but also to the present and future.

  • Portfolio
  • Activities
  • Contact

    • LivingHistory

    Project

    • 10-05-2018
    • “The Civil War is like a ghost that has not yet made its peace and roams the land seeking solace, retribution and vindication.” -David Goldfield How do we deal with our nations dark past? Is our interpretation of history still up-to-date? Who decides what our national histories are? Living History shows how different groups of Americans, each armed with their own version of the past, deal with the history of the American Civil War and the legacy of slavery through re-enactment.

    Vietnamese Veterans

    Project

    • 19-05-2011 t/m 17-12-2014
    • Photographer Ruben Hamelink traveled around Vietnam photographing and interviewing Vietnamese veterans. This book tells the personal stories, memories and feelings of the men and women who fought for Vietnam in four different wars, and focuses on how these wars have influenced their lives. The project acknowledges and gives a voice to those people who have played such crucial roles in Vietnamese history, and yet whose stories have remained largely unknown.

    Vietnamese Veterans - Exhibition (Solo)

    Exhibition / presentation

    • 07-09-2014 t/m 21-10-2014
    • Location: Gallery Wind, Rotterdam

    Building land

    Project

    • 19-01-2021
    • In collaboration with: Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Parfum de Boemboem, Conny Janssen Danst, M&Winterdagen
    • While the construction of Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is approaching its final phase and the layout is now in full swing, this special project takes you back to the beginning, to when the depot was still building land. Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen triggers something for many Rotterdammers. Amazement and curiosity, but also pride and inspiration. Rotterdam Poet M. wrote the text 'Bouwgrond', musician Winterdagen made the music and filmmaker Ruben Hamelink made a film of the same name as a visual
    • https://www.boijmans.nl/bouwgrond

    The Free Runners of Gaza - Group Exhibition Arles

    Exhibition / presentation

    • 01-07-2020 t/m 01-09-2022
    • Location: Gallery Huit, Arles

    Empire's Island

    Task

    • 01-01-2023 t/m 31-10-2023
    • In collaboration with: Studio Jonas Staal
    • Location: Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam

    Empire's Island

    Task

    • 01-01-2023 t/m 31-10-2023
    • In collaboration with: Studio Jonas Staal
    • Location: Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam
    • Winner Prix de Rome Empire's Island tells the story of Ascension Island, located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and how it was propagated across three centuries serving the interests of emerging empires. FILMED BY Ruben Hamelink FILM EDITING AND SOUNDSCAPE BY Ruben Hamelink and Jonas Staal
    • https://www.jonasstaal.nl/projects/empires-island/

    New World Summit - Rojavac

    Task

    • 12-10-2015 t/m 12-12-2015
    • In collaboration with: Studio Jonas Staal - The New World Summit
    • Location: , Derik
    • Photography and film documentation for Studio Jonas Staal The New World Summit is an artistic and political organization that develops parliaments with and for stateless states, autonomist groups, and blacklisted political organizations. The New World Summit–Rojava consists of two parts: a commission by the autonomous government of Rojava (northern Syria) to design and construct a new public parliament and an international summit in the region.
    • http://www.jonasstaal.nl/projects/new-world-summit-rojava/

    The Free Runners of Gaza - Florence Group Exhibition

    Exhibition / presentation

    • 27-05-2017 t/m 27-07-2017
    • Location: Florence,

    Acknowledgments

      Pricing

    • Silver Camera Documentary International - 1st Prize - (Living History)

    • 2019
      Pricing

    • PX3 State of the World - Category Winner - (Living History)

    • 2020
      Pricing

    • Hellerau Portrait Award - Finalist (Living History)

    • 2022
      Pricing

    • Celeste Prize 'In Conflict' - 1st Prize (Free Runners of Gaza)

    • 2017
      Pricing

      Publication

    • Vietnamese Veterans

    • 2014
    • Book
    • Lecturis - Ruben Hamelink, Julia Zaremba, Rimko van der Maar