The solo exhibition FASHION by Paul Kooiker at FOAM in Amsterdam brings together images from his fashion assignments in one total installation. It works like a palace of mirrors: it brings the speed of the fashion world to a standstill and depicts the absurdity of human vanity and desire. All the photos were taken with an iPhone. In a time when everyone takes photos with a smartphone, Paul Kooiker uses precisely this tool to create a parallel world that is one of a kind. Just like in his assignments for the fashion industry, Paul Kooiker steps outside the boundaries of prevailing beauty ideals and gender roles.

At a time when we are being inundated with images, Paul Kooiker’s photos have their very own signature and character. As a result, he has become a much sought-after creator of iconic fashion images. He does not shy away from any subject or approach, so his photography helps to break open stereotypes and the standard idea of fashion. Kooiker’s work is layered and varied; his photos are visually appealing, open and timeless, without being neutral. He is a visual artist, with his iPhone camera as instrument. As a maker he has almost gone unnoticed as a pioneer. With FASHION he puts his unmistakeable stamp on what fashion means.