Jan van IJken is a filmmaker and photographer in Leiden, the Netherlands, working on the interface of art and science. In his latest works, he reveals secrets in nature like the murmurations of starlings, the genesis of life and the unseen world of microscopic plankton. He is interested in microscopy, nature, biology, evolution, and embryology. In earlier years he published three photobooks on social-documentary subjects like Divinity in Eastern Europe and the relationship of man and animal. He developed a keen eye for light and composition and specializes on autonomous long-term projects. His work has been published and awarded internationally.