Rubin Recommends

(Part of The Weekly Check In series)

I met Nick Helderman my first week in New York when he was in town shooting Dutch bands during CMJ in 2008. Since then I’ve had the good fortune of visiting him in Amsterdam and seeing his joint exhibition with Shawn Brackbill as part of Le Guess Who? in Utrecht. The Handsome Dutchman (as he’s known by his American friends) is in high demand these days for his music and documentary photography. You can check out his work at www.nickhelderman.com.

Lane: What are you currently working on or just finished that you’re excited about?

Helderman: In 2008 I photographed Ethiopian saxophone player Getatchew Mekuria and Dutch improv/punk band The Ex on a tour through Washington DC, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago and New York, and I recently showed these photos in Utrecht and Groningen (The Netherlands). Both were amazing exhibits. The one in Groningen is part the Popview 2010 exhibit and will move to London and probably Berlin later this year.

Right now I’m working on a plan to actually travel to Ethiopia and meet up with all these great musicians for a photo project. This has been getting me pretty excited lately.

Lane: Where have you traveled this month or recently?

Helderman: I recently went to New York for CMJ and got to stay at a friend’s place for a couple of days, which gave me the time to do stuff such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, and walking on the Brooklyn Bridge (haha). Next month I’m going to Stockholm in Sweden for a week or so to stay with friends, and hopefully SXSW in Austin. Really looking forward to that.

Lane: What’s your favorite music right now?

Helderman: That question instantly makes me black out, same thing as walking into a record store. But right now I think that would be Dungen, Sleepy Sun (their new album is going to be amazing), Patrick Watson, Kurt Vile, Mahmoud Ahmed, Animal Collective, Megafaun and Tune Yards.

Lane: Best food you’ve had in your neighborhood lately or while you were traveling?

Helderman: Last weekend I went to Café Bern in Amsterdam and they had a delicious cheese fondue. It just added another dimension of quality to the whole cheese fondue concept. I don’t remember eating anything in New York that wasn’t good, but the cheese fondue just beats it.

Lane: Anything else you want to mention?

Helderman: Yes! You should listen to this new song that The Ex just released on 7 inch. First release with Arnold de Boer on guitar/vocals after G.W. Sok left in 2008. It’s such an amazing song.