Alexine Tinne (1835 – 1869) was a 19th century Dutch explorer who gained worldwide recognition for her expeditions in Africa. Her pioneering photographic endeavors have recently been reevaluated in collaboration with The Hague Historical Museum. The research into her life and work further cemented her legacy in the field.  Moreover, her later years were marked by her egalitarian worldview, with which she proved to be ahead of her time. During her stay in North Africa, she formed close bonds with her Dutch, Mediterranean, and African companions, whom she considered as her ‘new family’. 

The Hague Historical Museum, in partnership with myself as the exhibition’s initiator, and later joined by Leiden University, unveiled the first comprehensive exhibition of Alexine Tinne's 19th century photographic oeuvre & collection.  

For this exhibition, I researched all the Tinne archives for over four years. In my series ‘Closer to Tinne’ I strived to create a contemporary representation of Alexine. For this purpose, I photographed in Alexine's former residence in The Hague and used personal objects from Alexine's, kept in museum and family archives. Additionally, my series Diaspora’ highlights portraits which were produced in collaboration with African diasporians from Belgium and the Netherlands. This created a connection between the work of the two photographers, and a similarity emerged in how the sitters were approached.

My research also explored new connections with renowned personalities from the history of photography, including the famous British photographer Francis Frith (1822-1898). It is believed that Tinne crossed paths with him in Egypt. Additionally, she may have been captured in two photographs that Frith took of temples in Egypt. After returning to The Hague, Tinne experimented with photography alongside the English photographer Robert J. Bingham and others. The exhibition features newly discovered material from their photographic experiments which were discovered by me and Jeroen de Wijs in Paris. My (photo) historical research is ongoing and continues in the Tinne Archives.