Robin Butter

As a child, my dream was to become an archaeologist, in a way, I still am, just with a camera instead of a trowel. Photography and especially documentary is for me a tool to dig into the stories of autonomous communities. Often with a unrecognised self-created history.

A running thread through my work is fire, in her ever-changing forms: from firearms in The Netherlands, through fire-breathing dragons, to the history of bonfires in The Hague.
My first self-published photo book was about shooting ranges in The Netherlands and their members, titled ‘It takes my mind off things’.
I then spent five years following Beesel a village in Limburg where, once every seven years, a fire breathing dragon climbs out of the Meuse and being born in Beesel automatically flow dragon’s blood in your veins. Which resulted in my second photo book ‘Drakeblood’, Limburg dialect for dragon’s blood. Published by Lecturis.

I am currently researching the connection & division within The Hague’s bonfire tradition, together with photographer Daniel Heikens, historian Emma Sow and anthropologist Laurens Bakker and students of the University of Amsterdam. In collaboration with The Hague Historical Museum.

Graduated from the Royal Academy of Arts, The Hague in 2014, BA of Arts. The graduation work was extended post graduation & self-published as a photobook in November 2015, with the launch at Paris Photo the same year.

For all inquiries

My work is available for purchase in limited editions, please contact for information about editions and availability. 
I am also available for commissions, collaborations, interviews, artist talks and workshops.

The General Terms and Conditions of DuPho apply to all legal relationships of Studio Robin Butter.