| Who | Peter van der Wal |
| Where | De Melkweg, Lijnbaansgracht 234A, 1017 PH Amsterdam |
| When | July 08 – September 20, 2026 |
With his iconic Polaroid Big Shot and vintage flash cubes, The Sinful Son has captured hundreds of moments in clubs in Amsterdam, Berlin, London, and beyond over the past few years. DJs, dancers, lovers, and strangers—all part of the same ritual. What began with a simple question grew into an impressive portrait series and a vibrant historical document of the international queer community. A celebration of freedom, hedonism, diversity, and the power of a chosen family.
In a time when visibility is not a given, documenting queer lives becomes an act of resistance. It is a refusal to disappear, and a clear message that this community has always been here and will remain.
During the opening of the exhibition, the Beautiful Creatures photobook, published by nai010 publishers, will also be launched.
About the Artist
Peter van der Wal (born June 1982) aka The Sinful Son (@thesinfulson) is a self-taught photographer with a background in nursing. His love for photography began early, when he was introduced to analog cameras through his father as a teenager. He soon began capturing his friends and family, or his surroundings, on 35mm film, but it wasn't until he left his religious parental home at a young age, and the so-called queer scene opened up to him, that he truly began to delve into the world of photography. Thanks to his work as a nurse, Peter was able to buy a home in the Schilderswijk neighborhood of The Hague with space for a studio. There, he experimented with light, cameras, and flash sets, learning the craft primarily by doing. As a born networker, he quickly found his way to diverse assignments: from portraits of hospital staff, law firms, or large organizations like ANWB or RTL, to weddings and fashion and street photography. Digital photography has been a thing of the past for six years: Van der Wal works exclusively with analog cameras, including the vintage Big Shot camera, a Yashica A, and a Konica 35m. His focus lies entirely on portraits: raw, intimate, and driven by the character of the moment. Peter has lived in Amsterdam for eight years.
