The Horizon from home Here taste the sea, in every bite
There are places that stay with you forever. Noord-Beveland is such a place for me. Here, the sky is vast, you see the clouds slowly shifting and drawing nearer, and each season has its own colour. At first glance, the island appears peaceful and unassuming, but look more closely and you'll discover stories woven into the landscape. Stories of people, of generations, of living with the water and the land. For me, that landscape is more than just a backdrop. It is my origin, my home. The place where my family and I come from.
Noord-Bevelandare a true patriot Noord-Bevelandare a true patriot
I grew up in Colijnsplaat. My grandfather had a arable farm in Kamperland, and as a child I was often there. I learned from him about crops, about the weather, about the ground beneath your feet. That's still in me. When I walk through the landscape now, I see that knowledge reflected. I recognise the seasons, the sky, the soil, the trees. And when I walk there, I hear the old stories again.
Where emptiness is full of meaning Where emptiness is full of meaning
When I moved to The Hague as a teenager to attend art college, I only then realised how special this island actually is. In the city, I missed the horizon. You live between walls, between buildings, between people, but not with space. When I then returned to Noord-Beveland and saw the land open up to me again, it felt as if I could breathe again for a little while.
The vastness, the light and the quiet are the elements that I also like to try and capture in my work as a photographer. It may seem dull, such an empty landscape, but for me, it is anything but. Precisely because there is so little, you see what *is* there. A small shed in the distance, a line of trees, an approaching threatening rain shower on the horizon. There is always something beautiful to discover each season.
Living with the elements Living with the elements
Noord-Beveland is a place where time behaves differently. Where the seasons are palpable and nature is always close by. Since I returned to Noord-Beveland, I've placed much more value on autumn and winter. The colours in autumn are at their most beautiful. And in winter, I enjoy swimming in the sea, at the Banjaard. That makes me aware of the elements and allows me to reflect on how beautiful the place is where I live.
Out and about in Noord-Beveland Out and about in Noord-Beveland
When I take friends along, I like to show them the unknown. The Onrustpolder, for example, with its bunkers and unpaved paths. It's a rugged and quiet piece of land, with the Veerse Meer directly behind the dike.
Or the small agricultural harbours of Geersdijk and Colijnsplaat, where sugar beet sometimes lies and where time seems to stand still.
Alternatively, I enjoy going to Kats, to the little church where cultural activities are organised, or I grab a bite to eat at one of the local businesses. And for those who appreciate Zeeland flavours, I point them towards the buffalo farm, or rather, the dairy farm, Delta Buffalo. There, you can not only buy meat and dairy products but also use the vending machine to get their fresh dairy, right by the roadside. Just like at the farms in the surrounding area, where you can buy vegetables or flowers, fresh from the polder. And of course, there's Seafarm in Kamperland, where fish and oysters come straight from the Oosterschelde. Highly recommended if you love fresh fish.
Because that is what Noord-Beveland does: it teaches you to look and to pause.