Thijs Koelink presents Camera Obscuras: a visual project about surveillance.
Originating in the sixteenth century, the camera obscura functioned as both an optical device and a conceptual bridge between observation and representation, shaping the development of photographic and moving-image technologies. Today, this lineage extends into CCTV systems, whose pervasive presence in urban space raises persistent questions of visibility, privacy and control.
Camera Obscuras, a visual art project by Thijs Koelink, reflects on this condition of constant observation. Through abstract photographs of architectural forms and surveillance devices, the work navigates the fragile boundary between public space and private experience. Shot in Utrecht with a analog camera on a single roll of 35mm film.
Camera Obscuras unfolds as both a zine and an exhibition. The 32-page zine is published by Stickit, a platform dedicated to supporting emerging street artists through limited-edition monographs. The monochrome zines are signed-off by handwritten graphic interventions, creating a dialogue between the two media. The publication is released in an edition of 100 copies. The accompanying exhibition, hosted by Kunstgras in ZIMIHC  theater Wittevrouwen, presents the launch of the zines, a selection of photographic prints and a video projection.
Watch the video teaser here.
The project launches on Friday, March 20th, 2026.
Thijs Koelink
Thijs Koelink is a Utrecht-based visual artist working across photography, graphic design, and film. He studied photography at the HKU and has been an intern at the Martin Parr office in London. Thijs mostly shoots street photography, often with a documentary approach, then layered with an artistic signature. His subjects enhance visual storytelling, but with the intentional freedom of interpretation. His work has been exhibited internationally. In 2021, he published ‘Mokari Makka?’, a photobook exploring the constructed narratives of Japanese salarymen within a metropolitan lifestyle.
Learn more about Thijs on his website or Instagram page.Â
Kunstgras
Kunstgras is a creative playground where (street) artists show off their skills on walls and canvas every month.
Each month, a brand-new (street) artist takes over our foyer with a crisp and fresh exhibition. Because who says street art only belongs to the streets? Why not find it in a theatre foyer too? Find us at ZIMIHC theater Wittevrouwen.
