Talk with Erik Kessels

Based in Amsterdam, Erik Kessels has been the Creative Partner of the influential communications agency KesselsKramer since 1996, with offices in Amsterdam and London. Throughout his illustrious career, he has crafted iconic campaigns for prominent international clients including Nike, Diesel, J&B Whisky, Oxfam, Vitra, Citizen M, and I amsterdam. Known for his daring and unconventional advertising, Kessels has earned numerous international awards for his work.

In addition to his achievements in the advertising world, Kessels is a prolific artist and curator. He has published over 100 books featuring his ‘re-appropriated’ photography, including the widely acclaimed titles Failed It! and Complete Amateur. As a passionate advocate of photography and visual culture, Kessels has curated groundbreaking exhibitions such as Loving Your Pictures, Mother Nature, 24HRS in Photos, Album Beauty, and Unfinished Father. He is currently working on Europe Archive, an ambitious long-term art project.

Kessels’ work has been recognized on an international scale. In 2010, he received the Amsterdam Prize of the Arts and was nominated for the prestigious Deutsche Börse Photography Prize in 2016. His mid-career retrospective was showcased from 2020 to 2022 across major cities including Turin, Düsseldorf, and Budapest, and he recently exhibited at SFMOMA. Praised by Time Magazine as a “visual sorcerer” and by Vogue Italia as a “Modern Anthropologist,” Kessels is celebrated for his unique ability to capture the unexpected and often humorous moments of life through imagery.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to hear from Erik Kessels and gain insight into his creative process, artistic philosophy, and impactful career that spans art, design, and advertising.