Carla Kogelman: A Closer Look

What happens when you really look at someone? When you capture people in their vulnerable and intimate moments? Amersfoort-based photographer Carla Kogelman—winner of the World Press Photo Award and the Zilveren Camera—always seeks out the sincerity and authenticity in people through her work. With her camera, she captures the essence of (everyday) life, all over the world.
Her photos depict pure moments of love, grief, joy, vulnerability, and loss.

Starting February 13, 2026, Museum Amersfoort will present a major retrospective exhibition of Kogelman’s work for six months: Carla Kogelman: A Closer Look. Dozens of portraits tell stories from Amersfoort, but also from far beyond. Stories where everyone can relate to.

Intimate Portraits
Museum Amersfoort presents a broad overview of Carla Kogelman’s work, covering a wide range of themes and subjects. You’ll see people saying goodbye, children at play, rugby players in action, Paralympic competitive swimmers, couples going through their nightly bedtime routines, and synchronized swimmers from Amersfoort. There are also photo series exploring the connection between people and water, as well as themes such as growing up, family, gender identity, and behind-the-scenes photography from the TV series A’dam – E.V.A. Finally, the series *Fanny & Arthur* is on display, telling the story of life and growing up on an organic farm in the Austrian countryside.

Kogelman Through the City
The exhibition A Closer Look is part of a citywide collaboration between Museum Amersfoort, the Rietveldpaviljoen, and the Mannenzaal. Starting in February 2026, Museum Amersfoort and the Rietveldpaviljoen will each present their own standalone exhibition, and the Mannenzaal will feature a small, complementary series of portraits from Carla Kogelman’s work.