Doing the Dishes (2012-2016)

"Doing the Dishes" is a project consisting of three different series developed between 2012 and 2016: Doing my dishes, Doing Hotel dishes, and Doing your dishes. Each part of this project explores the rhythm and routine of washing dishes, documenting and transforming both my own actions and those of others.

Doing my dishes (2012-2013)
It all began with photographing my own dishes. The idea emerged from a sense of frustration with the repetitive rhythm of daily life: ‘clean, dirty, briefly clean, and then dirty again’ (NRC Handelsblad). This cycle of continuous cleaning became my motivation to repeatedly engage with the process of doing dishes and capturing it. The photographs of the dishes became a study of order and the aesthetics of everyday actions.

After graduating, I moved to Rotterdam, where, after many unsuccessful job applications, I decided to use my Doing my dishes series as part of my application for a dishwashing job at Hotel New York. I worked there for nine months, and during that time, I experienced how I, as a person, merged with the mechanical rhythm of the hotel. The hard work in the kitchen revealed unexpected beauty and dynamics, which I captured with my phone. These snapshots were later developed into further works, deepening the continuity of the project.

Doing Hotel dishes (2014)
At Hotel New York, objects and situations came to life during the busiest moments. The rhythm of the dishwashing became a metaphor for the interaction between humans and machines in an industrial setting. This phase of the project explored how we, as individuals, relate to systems of productivity and how we function within collective rhythms, even in the most routine actions.

Doing your dishes (2015–2017)
Following my time at Hotel New York, I expanded the project into Doing your dishes, where I offered a dishwashing service. I visited people’s homes, businesses, or restaurants to wash their dishes. This project not only allowed me to meet new people, but it also provided a unique opportunity to work in different environments. Each time, I created a photographic documentation of the dishes I washed, building unique compositions, which I then sold as prints. The project became an exploration of the societal aspects of routine work and the intimate connection between people, their spaces, and the simple act of washing dishes.

Exhibitions and Media
This project has been showcased in several exhibitions, including Breda Photo, FOAM Photo Town and Fabrique Magnifique in Veghel. It won the Portfolio Prize during the Dusseldorf Photography Weekend, and has received media coverage in Volkskrant, NRC, and on Radio Rijnmond. Prints from the project have been acquired by several private collectors and collections.

"Doing the Dishes" is for me not only an exploration of the act of washing dishes but also of the underlying structures that shape our daily rhythms—from machines to society. It reflects on how we organize our actions, objects, and time, and how these actions influence our connection to the world around us.