Martin Roemers’ Homo Mobilis at Kunsthal

FROM 27 SEP 2025 to 1 MARCH 2026 | Photographer Martin Roemers’ exhibition Homo Mobilis opens at Kunsthal Rotterdam, presenting portraits that explore identity through mobility. The series positions people with their vehicles in a neutral setting to highlight subtle personal and cultural distinctions.

Homo Mobilis at Kunsthal Rotterdam

From 27 September 2025 until 1 March 2026, Kunsthal Rotterdam will present Homo Mobilis, a photographic series by Martin Roemers. Over thirty large-format portraits pair individuals with their everyday vehicles, each image shedding light on cultural, social, and personal dimensions beyond mere means of transport.

In a mobile studio set up in public squares—using a twelve-metre-long white backdrop—distractions are removed, drawing attention to posture, gaze, and the material details of person and vehicle.

Portraits of global mobility

Roemers travelled through the Netherlands, Germany, China, Ukraine, India, Senegal, and the United States to create these images. In Dakar, he photographed car sales employees Aïcha, Yvonne, Fatimata, and Becaya alongside a red Mini Cooper. In Shanghai, Zu’en and her young son were captured on a motor scooter. In Bengaluru, ice-cream vendors Hariom and Vinoth appear beside their truck. Each portrait is accompanied only by their name, occupation, vehicle brand, and location, offering minimal context and inviting reflection on the human-machine relationship.

About the artist

Martin Roemers (b. 1962, Oldehove) studied at AKI Academy of Arts & Design in Enschede. His long-term projects—including Kabul, Relics of the Cold War, The Eyes of War, and Metropolis—have been shown across the world and are held in institutions such as the Rijksmuseum, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Getty Research Institute. Roemers has received multiple honours, including two World Press Photo Awards.

Publication

A photo book edition of Homo Mobilis will be released on 7 October 2025 by Lannoo Publishers. The 208-page volume will be available at the Kunsthal Shop and online.

More information

For full details about the exhibition—including ticketing, opening hours, and related programming—please visit the official Kunsthal website. Visit the exhibition details on the Kunsthal website.

Directions

Kunsthal Rotterdam is situated in Museumpark, close to Erasmus MC and Het Nieuwe Instituut. Easily reachable by tram or metro from Rotterdam Central Station, the area is known for its green spaces and cultural institutions.