Florian Braakman

I am a photographic artist and my work consists of series of photographic images. Through a personal relationship with my subject, especially focusing on the concept of ‘neighbourhood’, I am interested in addressing broader universal, social, and cultural themes, such as integration, cultural diversity and social mobility. In Dutch the term ‘buurman’ (neighbour) is a slang, used as a way of greeting people around you.

Photography is the core of my practice and is integrated in my everyday life. I use it as a way to make contact with people, to question the world, and to gain a grip on our fast-paced everyday ‘reality’. I use photographs mainly in grouped series, letting separate images be in contact and conversation with one another in the forms of publications and installations.

Currently, I am working on a long-term project Delfshaven’s Finest (2013 - present), in the socially and culturally diverse neighbourhood of Rotterdam, where I have lived since I graduated from the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague in 2013.