Yoke Matze began as a self-taught photographer and started her career in 1970 as a photojournalist in her hometown Gouda in the Netherlands where she also ran an art gallery, Galerie JM. In 1982 Yoke settled in London where she studied for a BA in photography at Westminster University. After some years working as a professional photographer, specialising in architecture and portrait photography, she returned to work on a M.A. in Design and Media Arts. In 1987, the Greater London Arts and Dulwich Picture Gallery in London awarded her black & white print work. Yoke's work has been exhibited in the UK and abroad including the Netherlands, U.S.A, Germany, Ireland, and Russia. Her work is in collections in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands, including: the Museum of London, the V&A, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Special Collections of the University of Leiden, the Municipal Museum in The Hague and The Fundatie Museum, Zwolle, NL.