MAARTEN VROMANS

Even before we could cross the ocean, we looked out at the horizon and fantasised about what could be seen beyond it. The horizon still marks a physical limitation for humans: we cannot, literally, see beyond what our gaze reaches. At the same time, the horizon symbolises our boundless spirit. Because it is precisely when we stare into the distance that we make endless journeys in our minds to all corners of our imagination.
 
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For his project ‘Hope’, Dutch photographer Maarten Vromans (1975) sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 2024. During that crossing, which followed the classic route between Europe and the United States, Vromans photographed the horizon for days. And he recorded turning points in the day, such as the changes from sunshine to fog and rain, and the transition from colour to grey and black. Through this, he wanted to depict the changing emotions – from melancholy and uncertainty to curiosity and hope – of migrants who had also once made ‘the great crossing’.
 
By traversing this immense body of water, Vromans hoped to really experience the physical distance between two continents. And, at the same time, to be connected to the rich history of the explorers, migrants and dreamers who had followed the same route. During the long and slow days on international waters, Vromans wanted to leave his daily routines behind and be fully in the moment to experience the contrasts of the ocean – endless and open, but also intimidating and unpredictable – for himself.
 
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After three photo projects in which Vromans travelled overland by train, he wanted nothing more than to make a voyage over water for his new photo series. A long boat trip across the Atlantic Ocean appealed most to his imagination. For him, this classic crossing was not just a physical journey, but an adventure for the mind too.
 
Vromans was curious about the emotions he would experience if he observed the changing vastness of the Atlantic Ocean for days on end. At the same time, he wondered how he could translate those impressions into his work, in order to further develop his artistic possibilities and broaden his horizons – both literally and figuratively.