Aart Jacob

Hey there!

I am Aart Jacob Eikelenboom, but you can call me Arjan like everyone else does.

During my COVID recovery I made a lot of photos of my hometown Amsterdam. Each photo you see here holds a unique story. Please, allow me to share a glimpse of the tales behind the captivating images.

Before the whirlwind of COVID swept through in 2020, I thrived in the fast-paced world of digital finance. Prior to that chapter, I delved into the realm of banking and even penned the inaugural Solar Energy Guide a decade ago.

Living with asthma, I navigated the pandemic waters cautiously, but fate had its own plans. In 2020, before the availability of any vaccines, COVID found its way to me. What followed was a harrowing journey – from battling the virus at home to a life-altering stay in the ICU fighting for every breath.

Miraculously, I emerged from the ordeal, tethered to an oxygen tank, and confined to my bed for months. It was a slow, arduous road to recovery, marked by tiny steps to the bathroom leaving me breathless.

The tide turned with the arrival of vaccines in May 2021. A shot of Pfizer brought an unexpected ray of hope. Energised and uplifted, I embarked on a healing journey, aided by a dedicated personal trainer and rejuvenating walks through Amsterdam’s enchanting canal ring.

Every time the sun rose over the picturesque canals, a sense of joy blossomed within me, countering the lingering mental impacts of Long COVID. The same kind of magic happened the many times I bumped into one of the Swan families that live in the canals. I captured most of these precious moments with my iPhone. Amidst battles with sleeplessness, memory issues, tinnitus, unable to focus and anxiety, nature’s and urban beauty became my solace, captured through the lens of my iPhone.

In the fall of 2022, some of these poignant photo-stories caught the eye of a national TV station, featuring my iPhone-photos in their news & weather segments.

Encouraged by friends who were interested in prints of my artwork, I began to envision new possibilities. The concept of offering selected pieces of my art for acquisition brought me a sense of joy, and even purpose. With determination, I said, “Yes, let’s do this.”

Though my recovery journey continues, my newly discovered passion for photography, or capturing stories as I’d like to call it, remains unwavering. I aspire to shed light, and highlight my personal experience on the challenges of Long COVID, and share my evolving photo portfolio with you. If you like, please feel free to subscribe to this blog. That way you’ll be automatically updated on my upcoming photo project website.

@aartjacob on Instagram and Facebook

Watch the Mini documentary by Pointer. What you see in this 5 minute tv-doc is me struggling with lingering COVID symptoms 6 months after infection. Purpose of this mini documentary by Dutch tv Station KRO-NCRV was to shed light on the seriousness of, sometimes debilitating, Long Covid symptoms. Medical science made progress since then though so I am hopeful 🙌❤️