Commissioned by Freehouse, photographer Johannes van Assem began working on a series of portraits of entrepreneurs and organizations in the Afrikaanderwijk in 2012. This resulted in the personal and authentic portrayal of a group of (often small) business owners that were iconic for the craftsmanship, the hospitality, and the range of services available in this part of Rotterdam South.

Developments in and around the neighborhood never stop, so Johannes recently set off once again to update and extend his series. From this new series of photographs, Gemaal op Zuid presents a selection of portraits of members of the Afrikaanderwijk Cooperative. It is like a Hall of Fame showing the Afrikaanderwijk’s pioneers and go-getters.