The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is presenting a major exhibition of Dutch street photographer Ed van der Elsken (1925-1990), titled "Ed van der Elsken: Up Close," running from 19 June to 13 September. The show spans nine galleries and traces the self-taught photographer's career from 1948 to his final years, including images from his photobook "De ontdekking van Japan" (The Discovery of Japan) taken while he was dying of prostate cancer. It features iconic works like "Beethovenstraat, Amsterdam" (1967) and "Woman on a Bicycle" (1983), alongside contact sheets, letters, notes, book designs, and film fragments—many never exhibited before—to illuminate his creative process.
This exhibition matters because it draws on the complete work archive acquired jointly by the Rijksmuseum and the Nederlands Fotomuseum in 2019, offering an unprecedented look at van der Elsken's methods and inner doubts. Curator Hinde Haest reveals that the photographer's correspondence shows a side of uncertainty that contradicts his extroverted public persona, providing a fresh perspective on a figure who is a legend in the Netherlands and Japan but less known internationally. The show emphasizes process over finished work, giving visitors a rare behind-the-scenes view of a major street photographer's decision-making.