Not an illustrator this time, but the recently graduated photographer Gilleam Trapenberg, one of Fontanel’s Dutch Design Talents of 2017. His graduation project ‘Big Papi’ is a visual research into the stereotypes and clichés of masculinity, partly shot in his home country Curacao. What I find remarkable about Gilleam, who was born and raised in Curacao, is the warmth in his documentary photography, combined with clean lines and high contrast. A nod to the current image culture. That fusion is intriguing. Gilleam’s work is clean and warm. Impressive and calming. A balance that is rare among photographers, especially at his age. He has no shortage of ambition; his home base, The Hague, is only a stopover. The gloomy Dutch winters may be replaced by the soft climate in Miami, a city that reminds him of his birthplace. And you have to agree, his work would fit perfectly in that Magic City.

gilleamtrapenberg.com