The Invisible Women (2023)

The Invisible Women is an ongoing exploration of the Witte Wieven: spirits of folklore who once lived as herbal medicine women in the forests of Eastern Netherlands. These women, deeply tied to the landscape, were believed to dwell in sacred sites where rituals and sacrifices connected people to the spiritual world. Though many of these places have been erased or altered, a few remain, holding echoes of their past.

The transformation of these landscapes reflects the fading memory of the Witte Wieven. Once respected for their wisdom as herbal medicine women, they were later demonised as witches and rationalised. Yet, traces of their presence linger: in rustling leaves, shimmering water, and weathered rocks. By visiting these places, we may still sense them, stirring a childlike wonder for the unseen.

Through photography, storytelling, found materials and pilgrimages, I am looking to reconnect with these Dutch myths and bring their voices back into the light. This work invites others to slow down, step away from fast-paced living, and rediscover the magic in everyday life. If we remember, visit, and speak of these spirits, we keep them alive in our collective memory. My search is a call to honour what remains hidden and rekindle our connection to lost stories and sacred landscapes.

This project showed me how many stories of the Witte Wieven are still alive in the Netherlands, and it inspired me to start a new project: Het Witte Wieven Archief (2025)