EXHIBITIONS
2025
If Only You Knew, Het Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam
If Only You Knew, Museum Hilversum, Hilversum
Women of Amsterdam - an ode, Het Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam
2024
If Only You Knew, Het Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Foam, Amsterdam
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Forum, Groningen
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Noorderlicht, Groningen
2023
Commissioned work, Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Nederlands Filmfestival, Utrecht
A New Beginning, Fotodok, Utrecht
Vrouwelijke Turkse pioniers, Verwey Museum, Haarlem
A New Beginning, De Gang, Haarlem
2022
A New Beginning, Viewmaster Projects, Maastricht
Family Portraits, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
A New Beginning, Museumplein Amsterdam
A New Beginning, JEF festival, Antwerpen
A New Beginning, JEF festival, Brugge
2021
A New Beginning, Floor HvA, Amsterdam
A New Beginning, Stopera, Amsterdam
Schiedams Water Grant in Kunstwerkt, Schiedam
A New Beginning, Photoville, New York
A New Beginning, Nederlands Film Festival, Utrecht
A New Beginning, Mercatorplein, Amsterdam
A New Beginning, Buitenhof, Den Haag
2020
Zwart in Rembrandts Tijd, Museum het Rembrandthuis
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Zorginnovatie Forum, Zwolle
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Parc Theater, Hoorn
Dit is mijn Verhaal, Bijbels Museum, Amsterdam
Dit is mijn Verhaal, Academiehuis Zwolle
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA Buitenveldert, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, De Brug, Amsterdam
2019
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA De Banne, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Bibliotheek de Veluwe, Putten
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA Mercatorplein, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Dementia congres, Ede
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA Centraal, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Zorggroep Groningen
Alzheimer Fluisteren, ZGG Innersdijk, Groningen
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Nurcing Experience, Ede
2018
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Foam, Amsterdam
Dit is mijn Verhaal, Bijbels Museum, Amsterdam
Syrian Child Labour, Journalism Festival, Utrecht
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Humanitas, Deventer
2025
If Only You Knew, Het Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam
If Only You Knew, Museum Hilversum, Hilversum
Women of Amsterdam - an ode, Het Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam
2024
If Only You Knew, Het Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Foam, Amsterdam
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Forum, Groningen
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Noorderlicht, Groningen
2023
Commissioned work, Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Nederlands Filmfestival, Utrecht
A New Beginning, Fotodok, Utrecht
Vrouwelijke Turkse pioniers, Verwey Museum, Haarlem
A New Beginning, De Gang, Haarlem
2022
A New Beginning, Viewmaster Projects, Maastricht
Family Portraits, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
A New Beginning, Museumplein Amsterdam
A New Beginning, JEF festival, Antwerpen
A New Beginning, JEF festival, Brugge
2021
A New Beginning, Floor HvA, Amsterdam
A New Beginning, Stopera, Amsterdam
Schiedams Water Grant in Kunstwerkt, Schiedam
A New Beginning, Photoville, New York
A New Beginning, Nederlands Film Festival, Utrecht
A New Beginning, Mercatorplein, Amsterdam
A New Beginning, Buitenhof, Den Haag
2020
Zwart in Rembrandts Tijd, Museum het Rembrandthuis
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Zorginnovatie Forum, Zwolle
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Parc Theater, Hoorn
Dit is mijn Verhaal, Bijbels Museum, Amsterdam
Dit is mijn Verhaal, Academiehuis Zwolle
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA Buitenveldert, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, De Brug, Amsterdam
2019
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA De Banne, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Bibliotheek de Veluwe, Putten
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA Mercatorplein, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Dementia congres, Ede
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA Centraal, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Zorggroep Groningen
Alzheimer Fluisteren, ZGG Innersdijk, Groningen
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Nurcing Experience, Ede
2018
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Foam, Amsterdam
Dit is mijn Verhaal, Bijbels Museum, Amsterdam
Syrian Child Labour, Journalism Festival, Utrecht
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Humanitas, Deventer
BIO
Çiğdem Yüksel is a Turkish-Dutch visual artist and photographer. She initiated her photography career at the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. In 2017, she was honored with the prestigious Zilveren Camera award for her portrait series featuring Syrian child refugees working in textile and shoe factories in Turkey. The jury praised how her photographic series brings Western consumers face to face with the consequences of our political and economic policies.
In recent years, her attention has turned to exploring perception and the influence of photography and photographers. This shift led her to initiate a study on our collective visual memory and the portrayal of Muslim women in the Netherlands. In 2020, her research report gained significant attention for its analysis of the representation of Muslim women within the image database of the Dutch press agency ANP.
Yüksels artistic practice is rooted in questioning and influencing our visual memory, our visual history, and the power structures that underpin them. She questions who possesses the authority to determine which photos and narratives are preserved in our archive and which are omitted, and why. In her pursuit of challenging this, she began capturing portraits of the first generation of women from Turkey in the Netherlands, with the goal of constructing a more complete archive. This project is on display until may 2025 at the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam
At the heart of Yüksels work lies a close bond with the people she portrays. Personal stories are often a significant source of inspiration for her and set the tone of the photographic portraits she creates. Her creative process typically leads to diverse results, ranging from photo and video works to interactive installations, textile art, and publications.
Çiğdem Yüksel is a Turkish-Dutch visual artist and photographer. She initiated her photography career at the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. In 2017, she was honored with the prestigious Zilveren Camera award for her portrait series featuring Syrian child refugees working in textile and shoe factories in Turkey. The jury praised how her photographic series brings Western consumers face to face with the consequences of our political and economic policies.
In recent years, her attention has turned to exploring perception and the influence of photography and photographers. This shift led her to initiate a study on our collective visual memory and the portrayal of Muslim women in the Netherlands. In 2020, her research report gained significant attention for its analysis of the representation of Muslim women within the image database of the Dutch press agency ANP.
Yüksels artistic practice is rooted in questioning and influencing our visual memory, our visual history, and the power structures that underpin them. She questions who possesses the authority to determine which photos and narratives are preserved in our archive and which are omitted, and why. In her pursuit of challenging this, she began capturing portraits of the first generation of women from Turkey in the Netherlands, with the goal of constructing a more complete archive. This project is on display until may 2025 at the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam
At the heart of Yüksels work lies a close bond with the people she portrays. Personal stories are often a significant source of inspiration for her and set the tone of the photographic portraits she creates. Her creative process typically leads to diverse results, ranging from photo and video works to interactive installations, textile art, and publications.
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
2025
Zilveren Camera Storytelling
Winner
2024
Best photobook 2024 by Volkskrant
Winner
C.A. Soroptimistprijs
Encouragement prize - Winner
2023
Gouden Kalf Digital Culture
Selection
Dutch Directors Guild Award
Winner
2022
Meesterverteller
Winner
2021
Stipendium Schiedams Water
Winner
2016
Canon Zilveren Camera
Winner
Dutch Photographic Portrait Prize
Nomination
2025
Zilveren Camera Storytelling
Winner
2024
Best photobook 2024 by Volkskrant
Winner
C.A. Soroptimistprijs
Encouragement prize - Winner
2023
Gouden Kalf Digital Culture
Selection
Dutch Directors Guild Award
Winner
2022
Meesterverteller
Winner
2021
Stipendium Schiedams Water
Winner
2016
Canon Zilveren Camera
Winner
Dutch Photographic Portrait Prize
Nomination
BIO
Çiğdem Yüksel is a Turkish-Dutch visual artist and photographer. She initiated her photography career at the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. In 2017, she was honored with the prestigious Zilveren Camera award for her portrait series featuring Syrian child refugees working in textile and shoe factories in Turkey. The jury praised how her photographic series brings Western consumers face to face with the consequences of our political and economic policies.
In recent years, her attention has turned to exploring perception and the influence of photography and photographers. This shift led her to initiate a study on our collective visual memory and the portrayal of Muslim women in the Netherlands. In 2020, her research report gained significant attention for its analysis of the representation of Muslim women within the image database of the Dutch press agency ANP.
Yüksels artistic practice is rooted in questioning and influencing our visual memory, our visual history, and the power structures that underpin them. She questions who possesses the authority to determine which photos and narratives are preserved in our archive and which are omitted, and why. In her pursuit of challenging this, she began capturing portraits of the first generation of women from Turkey in the Netherlands, with the goal of constructing a more complete archive. This project is on display until May 2025 at the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam
At the heart of Yüksels work lies a close bond with the people she portrays. Personal stories are often a significant source of inspiration for her and set the tone of the photographic portraits she creates. Her creative process typically leads to diverse results, ranging from photo and video works to interactive installations, textile art, and publications.
EXHIBITIONS
2025If Only You Knew, Het Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam
If Only You Knew, Museum Hilversum, Hilversum
Women of Amsterdam - an ode, Het Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam
2024If Only You Knew, Het Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Foam, Amsterdam
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Forum, Groningen
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Noorderlicht, Groningen
2023Commissioned work, Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam
Ctrl.Alt.Img, Nederlands Filmfestival, Utrecht
A New Beginning, Fotodok, Utrecht
Vrouwelijke Turkse pioniers, Verwey Museum, Haarlem
A New Beginning, De Gang, Haarlem
2022A New Beginning, Viewmaster Projects, Maastricht
Family Portraits, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
A New Beginning, Museumplein Amsterdam
A New Beginning, JEF festival, Antwerpen
A New Beginning, JEF festival, Brugge
2021A New Beginning, Floor HvA, Amsterdam
A New Beginning, Stopera, Amsterdam
Schiedams Water Grant, Kunstwerkt, Schiedam
A New Beginning, Photoville, New York
A New Beginning, Nederlands Film Festival, Utrecht
A New Beginning, Mercatorplein, Amsterdam
A New Beginning, Buitenhof, Den Haag
2020Zwart in Rembrandts Tijd, Museum het Rembrandthuis
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Zorginnovatie Forum, Zwolle
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Parc Theater, Hoorn
Dit is mijn Verhaal, Bijbels Museum, Amsterdam
Dit is mijn Verhaal, Academiehuis Zwolle
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA Buitenveldert, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, De Brug, Amsterdam
2019Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA De Banne, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Bibliotheek de Veluwe, Putten
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA Mercatorplein, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Dementia congres, Ede
Alzheimer Fluisteren, OBA Centraal, Amsterdam
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Zorggroep Groningen
Alzheimer Fluisteren, ZGG Innersdijk, Groningen
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Nurcing Experience, Ede
2018
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Foam, Amsterdam
Dit is mijn Verhaal, Bijbels Museum, Amsterdam
Syrian Child Labour, Journalism Festival, Utrecht
Alzheimer Fluisteren, Humanitas, Deventer
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
2025
Zilveren Camera Storytelling
Winner
2024
Best photobook 2024 by Volkskrant
Winner
C. A. Soroptimistprijs
Encouragement prize - Winner
2023
Gouden Kalf Digital Culture
Selection
Dutch Directors Guild Award
Winner
2022
Meesterverteller
Winner
2021
Stipendium Schiedams Water
Winner
2016
Canon Zilveren Camera
Winner
Dutch Photographic Portrait Prize
Nomination
Canon Zilveren Camera
Winner
Dutch Photographic Portrait Prize
Nomination