1975-2001: Dutch History Photo Commissions > Koen Wessing
Amsterdam, 26 January 1942
Documentary photographer. Encouraged by the married couple Ed van der Elsken and Ata Kando, both photographers, he chose photography as a profession at a young age. Studied at the Instituut voor Kunstnijverheidsonderwijs, the precursor of the Rietveld Academy, for a year.
In 1963 he began his career as a freelance photographer and has focused more and more on social documentary photography. He captured the events of May '68 in Paris and is present at the occupation of the Maagdenhuis (the administration hall of Amsterdam University) in 1969. He also worked in Chile in 1973, after the fall of Allende. He is known foremost for his photographs about the situation in Latin America. Through his bond with the local population he is able to represent the power relations in those countries.
Received the Alblas award in 1989.
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