"The older I get, the better I was"
"Some men find success boring, even distasteful."
Ernest K. Gann's Flying Circus
"He could sit on a fence, watching a worm
and wondering what on earth it was up to, for hours at a stretch."
P.G. Wodehouse, The Aunt and the Sluggard
Harrie's enormously talented. Santiago | Harrie will never get rich! Annelies |
There's no future in being ahead of your times.
Harrie Verstappen
Only those who decline to scramble up the career ladder are interesting as human beings.
Nothing is more boring than a man with a career.
Aleksandr L. Solzhenitsyn - The Gulag Archipelago, VII p. 455
My Oblituary:
C.V.
of Harrie Verstappen
(such as it is—I hate these things)
Worked for photo importer Imag, the Hague, staff 63-64; photo trade publisher CIBAF n.v., staff 64-66. Established VistaFilm, 1964, for distribution of Japanese movies in Holland.
Meanwhile, published photographs and articles in Tiq, Skoop, Muziek Expres, Pop Foto, NRC-Handelsblad, Algemeen Dagblad, Vrij Nederland. Worked as a sound technician for Dutch television (68-70) and as a still photographer in Dutch feature film production from 69. Also wrote some scripts and directed some movies. His photographs have been published in virtually all Dutch newspapers and magazines and many international publications. Famous for his photographs of Yayoi Kusama, The Kinks and more pop musicians.
First Dutch film sound engineer to use wireless microphones and the 'puppy'.
Moved back to Curaçao, 78; did sound, light and cinematography for film and TV productions, but mainly still photography. Also made some movies. Ran a farm (eggs, game, honey) in the mid 80s. Recently moved operations into the digital age; afterworking on a Virtual Reality simulation of Curaçao island upon discovery and later, gave that up as another project coming too early. Director of Fotomatiko del Caribe n.v. 1987-1993.
Married an architect (well, frankly, not at that time) 1968; collaborates with her in landscaping adapted to local tropical desert conditions. One daughter, 1986.
Participated in international conference Workshop Voedsel, Holland 1985; founding board member of Netherlands Antilles authors organization Corpus Mysticum, 1994; co-organizer Congresses "Bario 2000" and "Barionan, Base pa un Nashon", 2001.
Was instrumental in suing Curaçao's Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte, leading to his conviction for fraud, money laundering and then some, with a lost appeal in 2017; final appeal was rejected in November 2018 and Schotte went to jail early December.
Postal address:
Plantage Bai Klaas
CW Curaçao LP73
AN Neth. Antilles
+599 9513 3560
e-mail:
Webmaster:
Marquis' Who's Who
They have put me in their International edition for some reason. Well, actually I do know the reason: Marquis just seems to send all subscribers to the Smithsonian Magazine a form. And maybe for other prestigious publications. I thought it the joke of the year.
In January 2003 I applied for a record with the Guinness Book of Records as the poorest man who ever made it to Marquis' Who's Who in Finance and Industry, where, later, I got listed as well. But Guinness let me know they didn't think it much of a record.
I don't think I'm still listed in Marquis'; it's very important to them that those in their books take that seriously. As I found out in 2011, wrong again: I've been in there for 10 years and am allowed to buy a "commemorative Anniversary Wall Plaque" for $149.95; plus S/H - you betcha. Just the item I need to impress my Girl Friends.
The latest offer, 2018, was to give them $850 for a copy of the book plus a plaque.
Credits include:
I keep adding to this list. Much of this stuff can be found elsewhere on this site.
Others I'd just as soon forget about have a nasty habit of popping up and ruining my minute.
Then, for the sake of Gründlichkeit, I sighingly put them in.
| DE BOSDUIVELTJES | AN | 1952 | stage operetta | actor |
| FORUM ACADEMIALE | NL | 58-60 | magazine | Nijmegen editor |
| VOX CAROLINA | NL | 58-60 | magazine | stories/articles |
| SALVO | NL | 1961 | magazine | short story |
| De Nederlandse Fotovakschool | AN | 1963 | correspondence course | (unfinished) |
| Zeiss-Ikon Contaflex A | 1964 | SLR 35mm camera | ||
| Darkroom | 1965 | B/W-Color processing | ||
| THE KINKS | NL | 1966 | magazine article | photographer |
| Musashino-Koki Rittreck | 1966 | 6x9 SLR | ||
| TENGOKU TO JIGOKU | JP-NL | 1966 | Akira Kurosawa | High andLow/De Losprijs |
| YAYOI KUSAMA | NL | 1967 | magazine article | writer & photographer |
| FRANK ZAPPA & The Mothers of Invention | NL | 1968 | magazine article | photographer |
| DAITOZOKU | JP-NL | 1968 | Shenkichi Taniguchi | Samurai Pirate |
| Spain-Morocco | 1969 | travel | photographs | |
| EIGHT MILES HIGH-The Golden Earring | NL | 1969 | tv-film | stills |
| EIGHT MILES HIGH-The Golden Earring | NL | 1969 | record sleeve | photographer |
| DROP OUT | NL | 1969 | feature film | stills |
| OVERAL ZIJN INDIANEN/ DES INDIENS PARTOUT | NL | 1969 | tv-film | sound engineer/ still photographer |
| ILEANA MELITA | NL | 1969 | tv-film | sound engineer |
| THE CATS | NL | 1969 | tv-film show | sound engineer |
| THE SHEPHARDS | NL | 1969 | tv-film show | sound engineer |
| WILMA in KOPENHAGEN | NL | 1969 | tv-film show | sound engineer |
| POETS | NL | 1969/1970 | candid camera tv-series | sound engineer |
| MUSICI VOOR VIETNAM | NL | 1969 | tv-film reportage | sound engineer |
| DICHTERS VOOR VIETNAM | NL | 1969 | tv-film reportage | sound engineer |
| JORIS IVENS | NL | 1970 | tv-film reportage | sound engineer |
| NEBU MEUBELEN | NL | 1970 | catalogue | photographer |
| DENNIS POTTER | NL | 1970 | tv-film | sound engineer |
| STAMPING GROUND AKA Love and Music - Rock Fieber | NL | 1971 | feature film Holland Pop Festival | sound |
| BLUE MOVIE | NL | 1971 | feature film | still photographer |
| KAPSALON | NL | 1972 | film short | still photographer |
| VERGEET UW RIB NIET, MENEER! | NL | 1972 | mixed stage/movie | cinematographer |
| VD | NL | 1972 | feature film | still photographer |
| FRANK & EVA/LIVING APART TOGETHER | NL | 1972 | feature film | still photographer |
| SHIP-TO-SHIP TRANSFER | AN | 1972 | documentary film | cinematographer |
| DAKOTA | NL | 1972 | feature film | co-scriptwriter/still photographer |
| COSMIC COMICS | USA-NL | 1973 | filmograph | director |
| Grenoble Festival du Court Métrage (hors concours) | Atlanta Film Festival | 1st Hollywood Erotic Film & Video Festival (honorable mention) | ||
| STRAF | NL | 1973 | film short | still photographer |
| ALICIA | NL | 1973 | feature film | still photographer |
| MY NIGHTS WITH [everybody but you] | NL | 1974 | feature film | still photographer |
| MENS, ERGER JE NIET! | NL | 1975 | feature film | still photographer |
| Yashica-Zeiss Contax RTS | 1976 | 35mm SLR | ||
| PASTORALE 1943 | NL | 1977 | feature film | still photographer |
| Polska | AN | 1977 | travel photographs | |
| France-Italia-Österreich | 1978 | travel photographs | ||
| GRIJPSTRA & DE GIER | NL | 1979 | feature film | still photographer |
| ANTIYAS, TRIANGULO PA FUTURO | AN | 1980 | documentary film | sound engineer/ still photographer/ 2nd unit camera |
| MOSAIKO KULTURAL | AN | 1980 | documentary film | sound engineer/ still photographer/ 2nd unit camera |
| ANESCO | AN | 1981 | tv-film commercial | director & special effects |
| HET VERBODEN BACCHANAAL | NL | 1982 | feature film | still photographer |
| COMWEST | AN | 1982 | tv-film commercial | director & special effects |
| CURAÇAO CANDLE FACTORY | AN | 1983 | tv-film commercial | director & special effects |
| Timex-Sinclair TS-1000 | 1984 | computer | ||
| ZWARTE RUITER | NL | 1984 | feature film | still photographer |
| HISTORIA DI KORSOW | AN | 1985 | tv-series | co-script writer/ production stills |
| $CORPIO SCRAPBOOK 1965-1976 | NL | 1985 | book | photographer |
| PENTAGRAM | AN | 1986 | tv telenovela | light |
| ANTILLIAANS VERHAAL | NL-AN | 1987 | tv-film series | sound engineer 2nd unit |
| Tony Sherman | NL-AN | ~1987 | video clip | light |
| KAPRISHO ANTIANO | AN | 1988 | tv-film documentary | sound engineer |
| Commodore C64 | 1988 | computer | ||
| RHYTHMS AND CARESSES | NL-AN | 1989 | tv-documentary | sound engineer |
| YOU CAN'T WALK HOME | NL-AN | 1989 | tv-documentary | sound engineer |
| MUHE GRANDI | NL-AN | 1989 | tv-documentary | sound engineer |
| CANTIKO CARIBE | NL-AN | 1990 | tv-documentary | sound engineer/ still photographer |
| EEN DUBBELTJE SEXAPPEAL | NL | 1990 | Auto-Bio Willeke van Ammelrooy | photographs (uncredited) |
| WHERE THE DREAM BEGINS | Aruba | 1991 | tv-documentary | sound engineer |
| EDGAR PALM EN OTRABANDA | NL-AN Los Angeles Video Festival | 1992 | musical documentary | director/producer |
| Jamaica | 1993 | travel photos | ||
| HET CURAÇAOSCH MUSEUM | AN | 1990s | Reproductions | photographer |
| ELLEN SPIJKSTRA: CERAMICS AND PHOTOGRAPHY | AN | 1994 | book | reproductions/ photographer |
| Brand-X 286 PC | 1994 | computer | ||
| THE STORY OF MY LIFE | AN | 1995 | autobiography | |
| DEL CURAZAO QUE SE FUÉ | AN | 1996 | Virtual Reality demo | director/producer |
| VANUIT DE BLAUWZWARTE DIEPTE | NL-AN | 1998 | book Rob Rojer | photographs/ reproductions |
| OUWE WIJVEN | AN | 1998 | joint exhibition | b/w photographs |
| LOVE FOREVER | USA-UK-J | 97-99 | Yayoi Kusama exhibition | photograph |
| Los Angeles County Museum | Museum of Modern Art, New York | Walker Art Center | Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art | |
| SONRISAS MUSICALES - Rob Rojer | AN | 1998 | CD-cover | photography |
| Internet | 1998 | |||
| THE WERBATA MAPS-1: Curaçao | AN | 1999 | CD-ROM | producer |
| The Looniverse | AN | 1999- | website | webmaster |
| DISICLIN | AN | 2001 | tv-commercial | animation |
| VRCurassow | AN | 2001- | website | webmaster |
| cYBERbORE | AN | 2002- | website | webmaster |
| THE WERBATA MAPS-2: The Colony of Curaçao & Willemstad | AN | 2003 | CD-ROM | producer |
| The Global Village Fool | AN | 2003- | website | webmaster |
| Kyocera digital | 2005 | camera | mirrorless | |
| Japan | 2006 | travel | 1st visit | |
| NAAM | CW | ~2005-2010 | NAAM - National Archaelogical Anthropological Management | webmaster |
| TOKION Magazine | USA | 2006 | Ken Miller: Kusama interview | photographs |
| Panasonic Lumix | 2006 | small digital | ||
| South Africa | 2007 | travel photos | 1st visit | |
| NO KAI | AN | 2007 | Feature Film | light |
| DE PINK FLOYD IN DE POLDER | NL | 2007 | Book | photography |
| KUSAMA, PRINCESS OF POLKA DOTS | USA | 2007 | Trailer Feature Doc Heather Lenz | photographs |
| North-East Canada | 2008 | travel photos | autumn colors | |
| Sony A 900 | 2008 | digital full-frame SLR | ||
| THE KINKS BIOGRAPHY | USA | 2008 | TV documentary | Photography Credited but never paid—RIP-OFF |
| POP BRITANNIA | UK | 2008 | TV series | photography |
| Chile and Patagonia | 2008 | travel photos | ||
| SPECIALTEN magazine | UK | 2008 | Connecting the Dots: Heather Lenz | photography |
| USA Pacific Coast | 2009 | travel photos | ||
| BIOGRAPHY - The Kinks | UK | 2009 | TV documentary | photography |
| Yayoi Kusama - PHALLIC GIRL 1967 | JP | 2009 | Exhibition | photography |
| Liefdesbekentenissen | NL | 2009 | DVD - Extra's | interview |
| Tromsö-Norway | 2010 | travel photos | aurora borealis | |
| Hong Kong | 2011 | travel photos | ||
| Panasonic Lumix | 2011 | small digital | 2nd model | |
| Ginza Magazine | JP | 8-2012 | Kusama Yayoi | photography |
| Israel | 2012-13 | travel photos | teeth implants | |
| Volksfeest Winterswijk | NL | 2013 | The Kinks | photography |
| Top 2000 a GoGo | NL | 2013 | TV-show The Kinks | photography |
| Laureate Education | USA | 2014 | Digital Design Course | photography |
| Yayoi Kusama | JP | 2014 | Book (Heibonsha) | photography |
| Circus Bloteman | NL | 2015 | Book Ruud den Drijver | photographs |
| Korea-Japan | 2015 | Travel | photographs | |
| Kinks in Winterswijk | NL | 2015 | Exposition | photographs |
| De Kinks Komen - Beat in Winterswijk | NL | 2015 | Book Eric Meinsma | photographs |
| Yayoi Kusama | DE | 2015 | Louisiana Museum of Modern Art | Photographs |
| Yayoi Kusama - In Infinity | SE | 2016 | Moderna Museet, Stockholm | Photograph |
| Hitchcock, artist of 20th century | ES | 2016 | Espacio, Madrid | Saul Bass photo |
| Yayoi Kusama - Infinity Mirrors | USA | 2017 | Exhibition Hirshhorn Museum * Washington, DC, USA | Photographs |
| Hoger die drempel! Higher That Level! | NL | 2017 | Book Caroline de Westenholz | Photographs |
| Yayoi Kusama - My Eternal Soul | JP | 2017 | National Art Gallery, Tokyo | Photograph |
| YAYOI KUSAMA: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow | Singapore | 2017 | National Art Gallery | Photographs |
| YAYOI KUSAMA: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow | AU-QLD | 2017 | Queensland Art Gallery | Photographs |
| Australia | 2018 | travel | photographs | |
| Kusama - Infinity | USA | 2018 | Heather Lenz, Director | Photographs |
| YAYOI KUSAMA: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow | ID | 2018 | Museum MACAN, Jakarta | Photographs |
| Hitchcock, más allá del suspense | MX | 2018/9 | Cineteca Nacional, Mexico City | Saul Bass photo |
| New Zealand | 2018 | travel photos | ||
| Zero Is Infinity | JP | 2020 | Kusama Museum, Tokyo | Photographs |
| Sieg Nach Punkten | DE | 2020 | Monopol-D | Photographs |
| Yayoi Kusama: Love Forever | NL/BE | 2020 | 0 Institute | Text & photographs |
| Kusama's Appendix | CW | 2020 | private | Text |
| Kusama Retrospective | DE | 2021 | Groepius Bau, Berlin | Photographs |
| Het Fisken der Donut | CW | 2021 | VRCurassow.com | Article |
| Kommentaar Strategienota | CW | 2021 | Knipselkrant Curaçao | Article |
| Edgar Palm en Otrabanda | CW | 2021 | DVD-movie, 29:05 | Music recording, photography producer, director |
| Harrie Verstappen on Kusama | DE | 2021 | Groepiusbau Berlin | Zoom interview |
| Eurasia - A Landscape of Mutability | BE | 2021 | MUHKA Museum, Antwerpen | Kusama Photographs |
| Yayoi Kusama: A Retrospective | IL | 2021 | TLV Museum of Art, Tel Aviv | Kusama Photographs |
| Yayoi Kusama: With Love from Holland | NL | 2022 | 0-institute | Book; Kusama Photographs |
| Museum in Motion | BE | 2022-23 | MUHKA Museum, Antwerpen | Kusama _Photographs |
| YAYOI KUSAMA: The Dutch Years 1960-1970 With Love from Holland | BE | 2023 | TD>English Edition | Photograps |
| Guggenheim Bilbao | ES | 2024 | Yayoi Kusama: desde 1945 hasta hoy | Photographs |
| Servalves, Porto | PT | 2024 | YAYOI KUSAMA: 1945 - HOJE | Photographs |
| Yayoi Kusama: The Dutch Years 1965-1970 | NL | 2023-2024 | Stedelijk Museum, Schiedam | Photographs |
| Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam | NL | 2024 | included in collection | Schiedam exhibits |
| Kunstmuseum Den Haag | NL | 2024 | included in collection | Schiedam exhibits |
| Polka Dots Pop | CW | 2024 | Zanolino Gallery, Willemstad | Solo exhibition |
| Curaçao Fiesta | CW | 2024 | Zanolino Gallery Stichting Curaçao Style | Photo Book |
| Curaçao Sunny Sight Up | CW | 2024 | Zanolino Gallery | Photo Book |
| BeWillied | CW | 2024 | Private Publication | Photo Book |
| Flat-Free Fare: 3D-Stereo | CW | 2025 | Zanolino Gallery | Stereo Photo Book |
Kusama - Infinity: Nominated for Grand Jury Prize, Sundance Film Festival, 2018
AN=Netherlands Antilles, AU=Australia; BE=Belgium; CW=Curaçao, DE=Germany; DK=Denmark; ES=Spain, ID=Indonesia, IL=Israel, JP=Japan, MX=Mexico,
NL=The Netherlands, NO=Norway, PT=Portugal, SE=Sweden, UK=United Kingdom/Great Britain
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