About
A life built on family, culture and concepts.
Born on 18 June 1986 in Paramaribo, Suriname. I have lived in Rotterdam since 2003. In 2026 I turn 40 and return to the photography where it all began.
I am the son of an entrepreneur, raised by a mother who has always had my back. My family and friends are spread across three continents — Suriname, the Netherlands and the United States — and that is exactly what makes me, in my own eyes, one of the richest people in the world.
In Gouda I studied construction in 2003, and in 2008 I started Digital Media Communication in Rotterdam. But my real love became photography in 2007. Two years later I started my first photography company: Miquil Photography. Since then I've built concept after concept, always from the same belief: culture is the strongest bond there is.
What I do I call concepting. I think in brands that live, not campaigns that blow over. I produce events that really move people, and I build communities around food, music and dance.
In his own words
"I may be one of the richest people in the world, given the family and friends I have."— MIQUIL TJON KON FAT
Timeline
2003 → 2026
- 2003
Arrival in the Netherlands
Arrived in Holland together with my mother and sister, from Paramaribo.
- 2006
Photography as a hobby
Started discovering photography as my first creative language.
- 2009
First company: Miquil Photography & Clusive
Started my first photography company and founded Clusive.
- 2012
Goodstep
Website-building company founded in Maarssen. We built websites for early-stage businesses.
- 2016
Red Element
Started Red Element: design, websites and increasingly marketing, with activation as a specialty. Still active with events through Clusive at the same time.
- 2019
LatinBootcamp & Avenue Nine
Latin community building and the launch of Avenue Nine, Soul Food Lovers and the food concepts.
- 2025
WeNine B.V.
Founded the holding WeNine B.V. in Rotterdam.
- 2026
Back to photography
After 17 years of concept work: back to the camera. Portrait, culture, community.
Values
Three principles that guide everything I build.
Culture as connector
Not as a marketing tool, but as a foundation. Every concept departs from a cultural truth.
Concepts over campaigns
A campaign passes. A concept keeps living, growing, building toward something that lasts longer than a quarter.
Community over transaction
People remember how you made them feel. I build places they want to come back to.
Photo: © Frank de Roo, Algemeen Dagblad
In the press
"A piece of Suriname in the polder: Miquil wants to bring people together by sharing roti."— ALGEMEEN DAGBLAD ON ROTIDAG IN REEUWIJK