Joep Lennarts [1958-2011]
Joep is born on February 2 1958 in Eindhoven. After high school he studies history and moves to Den Bosch. Between 1981 and 1986 he celebrates his love for writing at the newspaper Brabants Dagblad. But the camera beats the typewriter. From 1986 until his death in 2011, Joep is an independent photojournalist. From 1989 to 1997 Joep works as one of the regular photographers for Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant. In addition to daily reporting and news photography, he makes most of his renowned rock photos during this period. This is well before the digital age, which is also reflected in his work: the photos are grainy and rough.
Joep does not only work for media. He has a great love for art and culture. Therefore he becomes a regular visitor of numerous cultural institutes and festivals. On one hand he enjoys the freedom to create as well as the goosebumps and the social contacts which sweeten the disappointing fees in the arts sector. But on the other hand, not only the mind but also the stomach wants to be fed. Therefore Joep regularly works for commercial and governmental organisations, which pay better.
His work does not go unnoticed. The long-term project "Op cel"(in the cell) which he carried out in 1999 with colleague and friend Hans Horsten in the Vught prison, resulted in a book and national attention on radio and TV. The exhibition "The art of news" [2001] in the Noordbrabants Museum attracts great interest, with work by Joep and his friend and colleague Marc Bolsius. The crown on his work are the First Prize Silver Camera 1994 in the Social category and the Second Prize Silver Camera 2000 in the Social Series category. He makes a dozen books and supplies images for newspapers, governments and cultural organizations. Of all titles, there is one - by Theater Artemis - that suits Joep best: "Be realistic, ask the impossible."
On February 25, 2011, life turned out to be overloading him. His son Daniël does not want to let Joep's unique work go to waste. That is why the photos are now exhibited and sold - in limited editions.
