Jesse Willems

Jesse Willems

Photography

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  • About
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  • Photographs
  • Publications
  • About
  • Contact

About

Jesse Willems (°1984) has been working as a freelance photographer since 2009. Self taught, he regards every photo he takes as part of a continuous and eclectic learning process. He strives to reinstall the aesthetics we lost in the seventies, and is inspired by great photographers such as Ernst Haas, Saul Leiter and Jacques-Henri Lartigue.

His main interests are street photography and portraiture, focussing mainly on the temporary aspects of everyday life.

His first book, Barak Friture (Luster), was published in the fall of 2014, selling both in Europe as in the US, UK and Asia. The book was on display in stores such as Colette in Paris, and Tate Modern in London.

Tate Modern about Barak Friture: ‘In this colorful book, Jesse Willems celebrates a sight that’s slowly disappearing: the road side chip shops of Belgium. If you like the photography of Martin Parr, this book will definitely be your bag of chips.’

His photographs are in the collections of the Belgian Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, the MAS museum and have appeared in publications such as The Times (UK), The New York Times (US), The Sidney Morning Herald (AUS), De Standaard (B), De Morgen (B), De Volkskrant (NL), Financieele Dagblad (NL) and Le Vif (B).

Clients include: Antwerp Royal Museum of Fine Arts, University of Antwerp, Johnson & Johnson, Antwerp Chamber of Commerce, the MAS museum, and through different agencies he has worked for brands such as Bpost, Proximus, Microsoft, Red Cross, Carrefour, Lidl, Janssen, …

He lives in Antwerp with his girlfriend and an ever growing collection of vintage prints, paintings, and plants. He enjoys surfing, cycling and writing about himself in third person.

Inspiration

Photography books:
Harry Gruyaert — Roots
Jacques-Henri Lartigue — D’air et d’eau
Saul Leiter — Early Color
Yamamoto Masao — Small things in silence
Ray K Metzker — The photographs of Ray K Metzker
Alec Soth — Sleeping by the Mississippi
Alex Webb — The suffering of the light

Art:
Edward Hopper
Alex Katz
Henri Matisse
Gerhard Richter
Ed Ruscha
Rinus Van De Velde
Jan Yoors

Films:
Sprout (Thomas Campbell)
Youth (Paolo Sorrentino)
La grande bellezza (Paolo Sorrentino)

Contact

For more information about his work or any inquiries, please contact Jesse:

Print sales

You can buy prints of Jesse‘s work at Samuel Maenhoudt gallery.
  • © 2017 Jesse Willems

Photo taker

Collage maker

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Photograph 'Mondrian storefront' by Jesse Willems.

Mondrian storefront

11 February 2017
by Jesse Willems
Red Umbrella by Jesse Willems.

Red umbrella

11 February 2017
by Jesse Willems
Collage 'Veiled woman' by Jesse Willems

Veiled woman

24 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of Belgian swimmer Kimberly Buys by Jesse Willems.

Kimberly Buys

21 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
The beauty of not being sold anything by Jesse Willems.

The beauty of not being sold anything

20 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Photograph 'Mondrian suit' by Jesse Willems.

Mondrian suit

20 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Photograph 'Daily walk' by Jesse Willems.

Daily walk

19 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Composition 3 by Jesse Willems.

Composition

18 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of Belgian singer and rapper Coely by Jesse Willems.

Coely

18 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
The beauty of not being sold anything by Jesse Willems.

The beauty of not being sold anything

17 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of Belgian designer Dries Van Noten by Jesse Willems.

Dries Van Noten

17 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Photograph 'A girl walks' by Jesse Willems.

A girl walks

16 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Portrait of French actor Vincent Cassel by Jesse Willems.

Vincent Cassel

15 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Photograph 'Brussels abstract' by Jesse Willems.

Brussels abstract

14 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Photograph 'Blue Girls' by Jesse Willems.

Blue girl

12 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Photograph 'Chrysler girl' by Jesse Willems.

Chrysler girl

11 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of American fashion designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg by Jesse Willems.

Diane von Furstenberg

10 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of Dutch chef Sergio Herman by Jesse Willems.

Sergio Herman

9 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Photograph 'Orsay' by Jesse Willems.

Orsay

8 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Photograph 'Cars and stripes' by Jesse Willems.

Cars and stripes

7 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Composition 1 by Jesse Willems.

Composition

7 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of Belgian chef Seppe Nobels by Jesse Willems.

Seppe Nobels

7 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Portrait of Belgian actor, writer and screenwriter Dimitri Leue by Jesse Willems.

Dimitri Leue

7 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Belgian jazz musician and composer Toots Thielemans, holding a harmonica in his hands.

Toots Thielemans

7 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of Belgian actor, writer, artist Benjamin Verdonck by Jesse Willems.

Benjamin Verdonck

6 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Composition 2 by Jesse Willems.

Composition

5 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of French dj and producer David Guetta by Jesse Willems.

Guetta’s in space

5 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Photograph 'Man with hat' by Jesse Willems.

Man with hat

4 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Photograph 'The beauty of not being sold anything' by Jesse Willems.

The beauty of not being sold anything

3 November 2016
by Jesse Willems
Photograph 'Smoker's reflect' by Jesse Willems.

Smoker’s reflect

2 November 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Photograph 'Hotel lobby' by Jesse Willems.

Hotel Lobby

31 October 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of American actor Willem Dafoe by Jesse Willems.

Willem Dafoe

30 October 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Portrait of Belgian actor and director Tom Van Dyck by Jesse Willems.

Tom Van Dyck

29 October 2016
by Jesse Willems
Portrait of British designer sir Paul Smith by Jesse Willems.

Sir Paul Smith

30 January 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Portrait Bacon girl by Jesse Willems.

Bacon girl

30 January 2016
by Jesse Willems
Photograph 'Moskowitz' by Jesse Willems.

Moskowitz

30 January 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Portrait of Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt by Jesse Willems.

Usain Bolt

30 January 2016
by sarahschrauwen
Portrait of Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck by Jesse Willems.

Walter Van Beirendonck

30 January 2016
by sarahschrauwen
  • © 2017 Jesse Willems