part-time students photography (year2), royal academy of art

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The Other. Part-time Photography students Alexis Susanne Jacob Sven Florestan Tamara Olga Elske Yana Anyfantakis Duppen Gesink Jacobs Korp Robeer Tokarczyk Verdoorn Volovich Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (NL) NRC SPECIAL photography

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Photography special edition NRC supplement

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Page 1: Part-time students Photography (year2), Royal academy of Art

The Other.

Part-time Photography students

Alexis Susanne Jacob Sven Florestan Tamara Olga Elske Yana

AnyfantakisDuppenGesinkJacobsKorpRobeerTokarczykVerdoorn Volovich

Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (NL)

nrc special photography

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The Other

Alexis Anyfantakis The individual defines the group, and the group the individual. One is part of the group, but how is the one in the group? And if you are an outsider, why do you long to be part of a group? Is it for acceptance, connection or intimacy? In this work, I have approached two different groups on grounds of their formation. One is formed based on structure and the other on emotions. The first you might want to be excluded from, and the second, included in; but can you?

Susanne Duppen How dear are your dearest to you? What do you really know of them? What is needed to know them? What would you like to know? What do you not dare to ask? What cannot be asked?

Florestan Korp European by birth, but born and raised in Ethiopia, I explore the differences between these cultures. In two series I address the question of identity; on a larger scale with the series ‘Capital B’ about the ‘European idea’ and on a personal level, in the series ‘The twins’, about my family in the Netherlands.

The world is an exciting and diverse place, with just as many perspectives as people. There are an unthinkable amount of options to explore and stories to be told. In our role as photographers you might see us as the ‘others’, observing and experiencing your situations as we try to get to know you. Photographers often try to be present but not visible, only there when you hear that click of the shutter. In the development of photography, the image of how we perceive others has always been an important factor. The moment we look at you through the camera the roles are reversed, you become the ‘other’. There is no escape from the concept of the ‘other’. It is important for us to have your trust and for you to be able rely on us to be honest and respectful in telling your stories. For us to always wonder, what if it was me? Because the moment we push the button on our camera we make a statement. In the following pages we present ourselves to you, show you the stories we have made and hope you will get to know us.

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Elske Verdoorn “Mevrouw, wat bent u aan het doen?” Ik ben foto’s aan het maken van de omgeving metbehulp van een spiegel waar afval op zit geplakt. Dat trekt kennelijk de aandacht van driejongens uit de buurt. Na een korte beschrijving volgt al snel de vraag: “Mogen we u helpen?” De ontmoeting leidt tot een gezamenlijk kunstwerk. Overal komt afval vandaan en wordt op de spiegel geplakt. Er wordt geëxperimenteerd met de plaatsing van de spiegel. Mijn foto’s zijn het resultaat van hun invloed.

Jacob Gesink ‘The other’ is a dangerous thing, for it is interesting and at the same time unfamiliar. I try to get to know the full context before I use my images of ‘the other’, but it is impossible to fully understand. At the end ‘the other’ remains exotic. That’s not always a bad thing though; the reader will look with the same foreign eyes towards my subject as I do. I just try to put enough context in it to show that there’s more than unfamiliarity.

Tamara Robeer Often I feel like ‘the other’. On the streets people look at me and I look at them. The other is everything I am not. We can only be our own person. As part of the process of understanding ‘the other’ and myself, I work on creating a bit more openness. I explore hidden spaces in the search to connect to my Romanian heritage.

Yana Volovich Tribalism is rampant in modern western societies. We rely on it to elect our politicians and sell our products. But what of the tribes? They seem to have disappeared, swallowed by the complexity of modern life. But have they really gone? Given the chance, a few people cling on to this ‘native’ way of life, rejecting conventional society and retreating into the past. They live a life that echoes that of our forefathers, the life of the tribe. This is the world I know, the world I want to investigate.

Olga Tokarczyk When I’m thinking of ‘the other’ I am thinking about myself and my surroundings. For me ‘the other’ is not negative. That’s why I wanted to show ‘Three Berliner’, foreign people in the City of Berlin. We don’t need to change our nationality to become part of a different society. We always stay ‘the other’. My second story, about the Princess Gardens in Berlin, shows a different part of ‘the other’. It looks at how people there, think differently from the rest. They work in cooperation. This is the story of ‘the other’ who wants to create something useful for the rest of the society.

Sven Jacobs “Over een foto hoort een gesprek te ontstaan, niet over de foto maar over ons zelf.” Sven Jacobs is als fotograaf steeds op zoek naar dit gesprek en kiest als stem de foto. Hiervoor richt hij zich op concrete plaatsen zoals verzorgingshuizen, beurzen, onderwijs, leefgemeenschappen of de winkelstraat. In elke situatie is hij op zoek naar iets wat ons typisch mens, Hoe maken we (non)contact, hoe vormen we elkaar, hoe vormen we onze identiteit en wat blijft er over wanneer we niet meer weten wie we zijn. In zijn werk zien we een subtiele confrontatie met ons idee over de werkelijkheid.

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Susanne Duppen

Interview and photo by Alexis Anyfantakis

What or who inspires you? “Oh, there are many. Robert Frank, Sophie Calle, Willem Popelier, Chanarin & Broomberg. But I am also inspired by little things, like small incidents while walking in your neighbourhood, or things from daily life that I can look at and say, oh that would be interesting to photograph; a book or a movie. Like the inspiration of your photography is around the corner.”

When did you become interested in photography?“It is really long time ago and I was not conscious that photography is a big opportunity for me.” While describing that she was always interested in art, like painting and drawing she forgot what the question was and asked that I repeat it. “I cannot pinpoint it really, for me photography, gets my attention naturally, that’s all it is.” She thinks that she has not elaborated enough. “ I know, I know, when I first visited August Sander’s exhibition at FOAM. I stood still and I was amazed by the idea of these people’s gaze having been captured on film and their lives documented in the past and here we are now looking at them. That was when first butterfly feeling popped up.” She still keeps the flyer of that show and her face lights up with a warm feeling. Later she adds that while studying as an exchange student in Madrid she picked photography as a study module. Her teacher told her that if she wanted to become a photographer, she could do that. “That made me think about photography”; the first seed was planted.

What is the most exciting part about being a photographer? “There are doors opening to you. If you are interested in something or someone, you just can go there. People allow you to do so.” She sounds sure about her position on it. Saying she is “eager to get to know what I am about and what is interesting to me; with photography you can discover and see the world around you and

share with other people. In a way, you can fix it; enjoy what you are seeing around you.” You can hear that she has thought a lot about this and is glad to bring it into the conversation. To open herself up and share this matured thought. She is looking at herself through photography.

What are your favourite themes? She is hesitating a bit. “Jesus, my themes? I do not know. OK, OK, I know I do not have big, grand, political scope. I am not someone who needs to protest, I am drawn to the small elements, the basics, like family bonds. Nevertheless, it is important to have a statement. I want to find what my big question is.” As the conversation progresses, she mentions that, while going through her portfolio recently, she realized that the notion of responsibility is very present in her work and fascinates her. Her role as sister, girlfriend in a distance relationship, daughter and how far she would you go to fulfil these roles. In a way, it sounds confessional to me. She sounds relieved to have said it.

What is your alignment as a photographer towards ‘the other’? She finds it difficult to answer this question straight away so we give it some time. “Somebody who is in the same situation as me, I try to understand how and why they are behaving or acting a certain way.” It is clear that she is not sure yet what the other is in relation to

her. From what she tries to explain it is apparent to me that she has a natural curiosity to understand and to know what intrigues her. The other I would say is how she defines herself in relation to others, part and parcel of the other.

As a documentary photographer, how do you develop trust with the people you photograph? Not surprisingly she answers, “ I like to get to know people; ask questions. I think I am a kind person, respectful; I try to give the feeling that I really like them for who they are. I am really drawn to people especially when they are very different to me. To trust you, you must make sure that they are comfortable with you; I try to give something back (photos, appreciation). Of course you cannot be friends with everyone you photograph, but we can have a good time together. You have an entrance, appreciate it. Overall it is a nice experience.”

What makes one image stand out more than another?“I cannot really think of a single photo that stays in my mind. It is more about the context that the photographer takes a stand from. That is what make significant for me. If I have to say about one photo, then it will have to be something that, at first, looks normal but has a twist in it.” Furthermore, she mentions Alfredo Jaar and his approach and challenging of the visual representation of a genocide by hiding pictures in black boxes (‘Real Pictures’). Photography for Susanne is more than visuals; it is about the ‘why’ behind it and the process to represent this idea.

Describe your favourite photograph.“I have lot! Specifically it must have suspense, be unconventional, the sort of imagery that you do not expect, such as Viviave Sassen, or Chanarin & Bloomberg.”

What sort of photography irritates you?“Not a lot of photography irritates me actually, because most of the times you can see the motives of the photographer. I would say that conventional photography irritates me, to sell toothpaste or houses; the kind of photography that it is idealist, a total fake.” We are finished on time. Now, she is rushing off to the train station to travel to her close ones. To fill the distance. Travelling and dreaming, daydreaming.

“I cannot pinpoint it

really, for me photography,

gets my attention naturally, that’s

what it is”

After a quick lunch, we sit down and start our interview, there is limited time as Susanne has to travel to Nijmegen to be with her family. Already from the first question, I can see that she has started travelling in her thoughts.

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Getting close(r)

‘The other’ for me means the people that are close to me. The meaning of the word ‘close’ however is of big interest to me. I want to find out what this means, how close I can get, should be or already am (literally).This makes me document them in various ways.

By Susanne Duppen

This page: Me and my familyRight page: My younger brother Daan and me

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Papa 1958

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What sparked your interest in photography?“When I was a lot on my own I was interested in ways to output thought and let off steam, I did this by means of visual aids. I’ve always been drawing and sketching, painting and doing graffiti. Six years ago, I would say, I picked up the camera on a weekly basis. The first real moment that I came in contact with photography was about four years ago when I was studying graphic design in Arnhem. It was a very complicated time for me, due to personal developments; my father passed away and my girlfriend had broken up with me. I was alone in a country that I didn’t know. Photography gave me something to do in the nights. It really opened a whole new world for me, especially digital photography, because all of a sudden you could just shoot a lot and learn about the technique by trial and error. That was the first time that I had more intense experience with the camera and photography.”

What is the most exciting part about being a photographer?“To get to meet people, I am a bit introvert by nature and I can be reclusive. At times I am relieved that appointments get cancelled, that gives me the chance to stay at home and not face the world. Photography forces me to go out and discover things. It is becoming easier for me to speak to people and that helps me survive in this society. It is a world apart from what I’m used to, from what I grew up with. I didn’t have reasons to talk to people here in Europe, and that can end in loneliness. And for me, many times it did.”

Who inspires you? “It goes in phases. The more you discover, the more your idols change as well. I had a Trent Parke phase. I thought he was so nice and interesting because he was quite young. I like

his approach, his spontaneity and his feeling for light. I think we have the same spirit when it comes to hunting light and all the unusual things he does. After that I moved from Parke to Antoine D’Agata, but they are still equally important, in terms of how much they influence me. Before that there were phases of William Klein and Cartier-Bresson.”

Describe your favourite photograph?“That would be the Henry Cartier-Bresson picture ‘Derriere la Gare Saint-Lazare’, made in Paris where a man is jumping over a puddle. Not very sophisticated, nor a very original image, but a classic. The shape and the detail and discipline in how it was made fascinates me. It goes beyond it’s own meaning. It speaks about the Europe at that time. It’s a sensationally mysterious photograph about the people’s unawareness of the times to come.”

What makes one image stand out more than another?“I come from a graphical background so it has to be the shape and the rhythm. That’s most memorable to me. Shape is more important to me than content. Aesthetically speaking it is definitely form and the sense of scale. There is this Magnum photograph by Rene Burri made in Sao Paulo. It is on the rooftop and four or five men are walking towards the photographer, the shadows are falling away from the sun behind them. That is stunning shape-wise but also from the perspective that was taken. I liked the form and that make this picture stand out.”

What are your favourite themes?“Identity, integration, ideology, cultures, cross-culture and youth. They are always related to how other people deal with my problem. I have the issue of sitting in between two chairs. This German Ethiopian thing, and then also the

German-Dutch-Ethiopian thing. It’s an issue that brings problems and advantages with it. When it comes to conduct and assumptions that are made based on how I look, how I dress. What annoys me is when people are not willing to see beyond a person’s surface. Personally I’m working on getting deeper into people’s heads, to understand someone. What drives them.”

What is your position towards the other?“If we put it in social terms, everyone who is outside of my social group; exotic, foreign, male, photographer, I would consider ‘the other’. First I try to find similarities and establish how far we are separated from each other, and after that you can map the differences. You always have to be aware that you are photographing someone else. You must have very good reason to be there, you must have very good reason to speak about it and you must have strong belief in what your photography can do in documenting that. The worst reason is to go and photograph ‘the other’ because you want to make money because newspapers would buy those kind of pictures.”

How do you develop trust to the people you photograph? “I think keeping promises is important. Basic things, if you make an appointment, be there on time, for example. That is a promise. Then it is important to be honest, to speak from your gut. That means what I also had to learn is that you have to speak in a certain way. In a sense, not presenting yourself too pretentious. That will make it easier to be understood and it also makes it easier for people to let you in. In my contact I try to relate. I want to have things to share.”

What sort of photography irritates you?“Instagram. Definitely Instagram.” I asked id Instagram is like a digital version of Lomo, would he also be annoyed by Lomo? “Lomo is also like a gimmick, a gadget. I like how for example Tichy or those kind of people use it. They want to make image at any cost. That is impressive to me; that means you are so in love with pictures that you have to make them, no matter what. And Lomo could be that, but it isn’t. It’s just cheap. The cheapness becomes part of it’s appeal, and that pisses me off.”

Florestan Korp

Interview and photo by Jacob Gesink

Florestan Korp was born in Ethiopia, but moved to the country of his father’s origin, Germany. From there he enrolled at an Art academy in Holland to study graphic design. Three years later he enrolled in photography at the KABK in The Hague.

“I have an issue of sitting in between

two chairs”

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NRC Photography Special The Other12

At the top of the German parliament: In May 2011 the Reichstag replaced one of the four German flags with the blue and gold of the EU-flag.

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Capital B

At the height of the Europe debate I looked into the production and servicing of European flags in Berlin, the capital of the leading EU policy maker, Germany. I found the stories of the dedicated people involved in the spreading of an idea.

By Florestan Korp

The Reichstag flag (4.5m x 7m) ready for washing and servicing after a three month stay on the south-east tower.

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The Twins

I look inward to find out about my role in a foreign society: The Abraham family forms a link with my birthplace Ethiopia, but they are also embedded in the Dutch culture - split, like myself, between two worlds.

By Florestan Korp

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Who and what inspires you?“What inspires me is everything! It can be there, but you don’t always see it. Even the idea of inspiration can inspire me. So, it’s a little bit conceptual, but everything can be an inspiration if you are open to it. And then artists that inspire me, I would say conceptual ones. I don’t know the names now, but [I like] the artists that use humour or text– like David Shrigley for example. But I don’t have one photographer that is my idol really.”

When did you start to be interested in photography?“I have always been interested in visual arts, but started to get interested in photography when I was given a digital camera 3 years ago. Before that I didn’t make any pictures. When I got this present I started to see the possibilities. I made a picture of a little girl; this picture I really, really liked. I found out that it was possible to create something just by clicking the button, and this ‘something’ is more than just a picture; it doesn’t only look good, but it means something to you, and it means something to the person in the picture too. That’s how I got involved with photography and why I decided to apply to study in the academy. It was a risk but turned out to be the best risk I ever took! Art has always been present to me, I studied many different things, from business to sociology, but I was never satisfied, I always wanted to do something creative, not just enjoy art, but be involved physically, with my hands, not only my eyes.” What do you like the most about being a photographer?“For me the most important thing is making decisions, always thinking and always having ideas. And because you have an idea and you want to do it, for whatever reason, you do it. This is very important because everything is coming from you - it is original. Of course you get inspired by the world around you, but it is your creation. For me, it is very important that I

am the source of creation, I don’t consume, but I generate it. This part I like the most – whatever you want, whatever you think of – everything is possible; you can get a result even from the most crazy, unconventional, conceptual or sadistic ideas.”

What are your favourite themes?“My work has to do with daily life, little things that go unnoticed, little aspects of the daily routine; unimportant things. Plus the connections between people; these bonds, the bond we have with daily life and bonds we have with the others. Why do you connect? How do you connect? What is your work and why? For me there is always the question ‘why?’. I want to know what my motivation is, I don’t want to just react on things, I want to have a direction to go towards, to find out, to make sense of the world.”

What is your alignment with ‘the other’?“The other for me is defined by the notion of being included or excluded in/from a group. I am not interested in becoming the other; it’s more about understanding the other, or giving voice to the other; presenting and knowing the other. After I get to know the other it its not the other anymore. I want to experience the other; I want to listen to the other. For me it’s about the understanding - once I understand something it becomes part of me, rather than me becoming part of it. Does it make any sense?!”

How do you earn the trust of people you photograph?“I earn people’s trust by trying to be open, to listen to them and make them feel comfortable, at ease with me. They trust me because I am

interested in them, ask questions, show them that I want to know, understand, empathise with them and it is genuine. I think they appreciate that. It makes them feel special and for me they all are special. But sometimes I find it difficult, like when I photographed that woman, who wanted to get pregnant: I was interested in her and her struggles, but I knew that I had to be practical too, because I wanted to make a story, to conduct my research. I used to doubt if this interest was real or was it intentional, because I needed her, but now I know that there is nothing wrong with directing questions towards what I would like to find out about her story. I don’t really have these doubts anymore, but in the past I used to think – oh my god, I am using them; I am faking my interest in them, to get my story.”

What makes one image stand out more than the other? “What makes it stand out for me is when you look at the image and you can see that the photographer is winking at you, when you can see what the photographer saw, when you can connect with this moment, communicate with the photographer, relate to his/her fascination.”

Describe your favourite photograph?“Maybe my self-portrait is my favourite photograph, ha-ha! Well, for me it will be something that when you look at it, it makes you smile, when you look at it again it makes you think and when you look at it once again it makes you sad, melancholic. Yeah, that’s my favourite photograph.”

What kind of photography irritates you?“That will be, photography that doesn’t make me think, doesn’t make me sad, doesn’t make me laugh. Its kind of photography that has no emotion, that completely serves a purpose of being illustration. It includes fashion photography as well, although lots of fashion photography has emotions, and can show you something that you have never seen before.

It’s not necessarily commercial - commercial photography also can be interesting and provocative of anything. Its the kind of photography where the photographer tries to impress you, tries to bring out the idea that is not real, that is deceiving.”

Alexis Anyfantakis

Interview and photo by Yana Volovich

“For me its about understanding,

once I understand something it

becomes part of me”

Alexis Anyfantakis! How Greek does it sound... and it looks very Greek too!!! I love talking to Alexis, its such a pleasant thing to do, specially now, in his cosy tiny house in Amsterdam, with a bottle of wine and delicious Greek lunch...

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From an early age, we learn to function in groups, to be together. What happens though when we do not blend in, when we do not fit in a given formation, or comply to the norm? This notion of exclusion/inclusion is of great interest to me and in my photography I aim at depicting the individual as opposed to the collective.

In this project, I visited a liberal school in the outskirts of Berlin and spent three days observing how the individuals are (or not) finding their place in groups.

By Alexis Anyfantakis

It all starts with one

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By Alexis Anyfantakis

With my photography I want to not only capture the intimate moments of others but also to experience myself this intimacy with them; to be included in their private lifes, to be personal. Then I will not feel like a voyeur.

Within reach

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Elske Verdoorn

Wat of wie inspireert jou? “Iets wat ik erg leuk vind zijn bloopers. De afgelopen tijd heb ik er veel bij nagedacht waarom me dit nou zo interesseert, aangezien het leedvermaak is. Wat ik er leuk aan vind is dat mensen op zo’n moment uit hun rol vallen. Door iets wat er gebeurd, is in een keer alles ontregeld. Hier ligt voor mij een interessante grens in wat nou wel of niet normaal is. Hoe horen we ons te gedragen en hoe kan het op een andere manier? Ik hou er erg van wanneer mensen een andere wereld neer kunnen zetten, een wereld die kleurrijker en fantasierijker is. Ook hou ik erg van mensen die hun grenzen blijven verleggen zoals Bjork. Ze blijft zich vernieuwen, mede doordat ze vaak samenwerkt met anderen en hun kwaliteiten ook goed gebruikt. Verder ben ik erg geïnteresseerd in mensen die écht hun best voor iets doen; met aandacht en liefde. Dat kan ook een bouwvakker zijn.”

Wanneer raakte jij geïnteresseerd in fotografie?“Ik weet niet precies het moment. In mijn tienerjaren ontdekte ik de fotoalbums van mijn vader, daar kon ik echt avonden in bladeren. Ik herinner mij dat ik in de bibliotheek een boek vond van Word Press Photo. Op dat moment dacht ik: dit wil ik echt doen. Het is eigenlijk wel gek dat het een World Press Photo boek is, gezien de gruwelijke beelden die daar in staan.

Kleur, verwondering en integriteit. In elke foto van Elske straalt dit van het papier uit. Vanaf haar kinderjaren kon Elske verdrinken in de fotoboeken van haar vader. Na een omzwerving via de antropologie heeft Elske het wetenschappelijk onderzoek ingeruild voor de camera. Dat resulteert in een ode aan de mens. Wat Elske kenmerkt in haar fotografie is haar liefde voor haar onderwerp. Ze is op zoek naar mensen die haar verwonderen, mensen die deze wereld wat kleurrijker maken. Door haar grote nieuwsgierigheid en betrokkenheid krijgen deze mensen een nieuwe stem in deze wereld.

“Ik ontdekte dat door mensen

vragen te stellen ik ook een soort van legitimatie

had”

Ik denk dat het me meer gaat om het beroep. Op de plaats waar het gebeurt aanwezig zijn, daar foto’s van maken en met iets ‘echts’ terug komen. Mijn eerste camera kreeg ik op mijn 15e, dat was het beste cadeau dat ik op dat moment kon krijgen. Na de middelbare school voelde ik me nog niet klaar voor een fotografie opleiding en ik vond de fotoacademie te duur . Toen ben ik eerst antropologie gaan studeren. Daar ligt ook een grote interesse van mij. De onderwerpen binnen antropologie interesseren me erg maar het product dat je aflevert spreekt me niet aan. Binnen Antropologie moet alles kloppen en verantwoordt worden. Voor mij zijn dingen niet zo vast. Na mijn bachelor dacht ik, het is nu of nooit.”

Wat is het spannendste voor jou aan een fotograaf zijn? “Het leukste aan een fotograaf zijn is voor mij vorm geven, om zo mensen te kunnen ontmoeten en met ze te praten. Een soort legitimatie om ergens bij te zijn zonder er direct aan mee te doen.”

Wat zijn je favoriete thema’s?“Ik denk dat het nu nog te vroeg is om hier een duidelijk antwoord op te geven. Thema’s ontwikkel je. Op dit moment gaat het mij om de werkelijkheid te laten zien en er toch een twist aan te geven. Zo ben ik nu met een project bezig met 3 jongetjes waarbij ik hun belevingswereld wil laten zien in foto’s. Ik probeer hun fantasie door mijn ogen weer te geven. Het is dus een combinatie van mijn kijk en hun innerlijk leven.”

Beschrijf je favoriete foto?KLEUR.

Wat is jou benadering als fotograaf van het thema ‘the other’? “Ik ben erg nieuwsgierig naar wat andere mensen denken en doen. Ik denk dat ik er goed in ben om mensen het idee te geven dat ze belangrijk zijn en er toe doen. Ik moet me over mijn onderwerp kunnen verwonderen, anders kan ik het niet fotograferen. Tegelijkertijd besef ik dat je bijna nooit je eigen wereldbeeld los kunt laten en als een ander kunt denken. Dat is nu eenmaal hoe het is, maar je moet dit wel erkennen als fotograaf.”

Hoe weet jij als fotograaf het vertrouwen van mensen te winnen?“Ik was in mijn tienerjaren erg verlegen. Op een gegeven moment ontdekte ik dat door mensen vragen te stellen, ik een soort van legitimatie had om in contact te treden. Mensen vinden het interessant en ik weet me op deze manier een houding te geven. Die houding gebruik ik ook in mijn fotografie. Wanneer je oprechte interesse toont in mensen merk ik dat ze veel goed vinden. Ze vertrouwen mij dan makkelijk. Ik vind wel dat je duidelijk moet zijn over wat je gaat doen. Ook vind ik het belangrijk te beseffen dat niet iedereen in staat is om in te schatten wat de gevolgens zijn om gefotografeerd te worden. Bij kinderen moet je daar bijvoorbeeld heel voorzichtig mee zijn, die beseffen nog niet waar je mee bezig bent.”

Wat maakt voor jou dat de ene foto beter is dan een ander? “Ik ben een kleurenjunkie. Ook wil ik bewondering zien in een foto, het moet iets positiefs toevoegen. In negatieve en zwartgallige fotografie heb ik geen interesse, maar grappig mag het wel zijn. Martin Parr bijvoorbeeld, maakt wel grappen over specifieke cultuurverschijnselen, maar ik zie dat ook als een ode. Hij ziet details in die cultuur waar je je vervolgens over kunt verwonderen.”

Wat voor fotografie irriteert jou?“Dat weet ik niet zo goed. Er zijn wel dingen die me niks zeggen. Wanneer werk bijvoorbeeld zo conceptueel wordt dat het een ingewikkeld verhaal nodig heeft; dan haak ik af. Ook vind ik het zonde als werk zwart-wit is, je sluit dan belangrijke dingen van de wereld buiten.”

Interview en foto door Sven Jacobs

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Common ground

By Elske Verdoorn

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Voor mijn buurjongens blijf ik ‘mevrouw’. Hoe vaak ik ook zeg dat ze me bij mijnvoornaam mogen noemen. Het maakt mij de volwassene, en dat is hoe ze me graag zien.We onderwerpen onze wijk aan een minutieus onderzoek naar afval en beestjes.Ik word een beetje kind en zij kunstenaars. In ons samenspel veranderen we de rol die deander speelt.

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Broers

Ricardo en Kevin zijn half-broers. Kevin woont bij zijn overgrootmoeder, Ricardo bij hun moeder. Ze leiden een grotendeels gescheiden leven, maar eenmaal samen zijn ze doodgewone broers.

By Elske Verdoorn

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Who and what inspires you?“My friends and family inspire me a lot, talking to them, discussing possibilities, ideas. And then the development really excites me. I was talking to a photographer about a gravedigger I followed and I got so inspired by what he said; ‘you have to do a multimedia project about this, this is incredible what he says’, things start small and can develop big.

Then travelling also inspires me a lot. New places, new cities, new people, new discoveries. Just the idea of going to a new place inspires me. And for a photographer I am really inspired by, erh, this Akkerman guy, blurry, moving, not really clear what is in the picture. Short time ago, I used him as inspiration for an assignment we had to do for school. I like the emotional, mysterious part of his photography.”

When did you become interested in photography?“When I was studying psychology I didn’t really care about my study. I was always hanging out with people from the film academy. I spent all my time with them; more than I ever did with the people from my own class. We would hang out with the film group. And I think it was when my best friend was doing animation there that my interest in photography started.

I considered quiting Pscycology and go to the film academy instead, but I didn’t have the balls for it! I am happy that I got my degree, but I should have actually stopped then and gone for something that I really wanted to do. Later, I went to see the solar eclipse in Hungary. I took a little camera with me and I took really nice pictures. Afterwards, I wrote an article and used those pictures for a magazine, with a friend of

mine. I thought ‘hm...that’s easy!’ That summer I graduated , and after that I went to educate myself on photography for a few months; I visited expositions, learned how to print pictures, and all that.”

What is most exiting part about being a photographer?“You get to know people that you wouldn’t get to know otherwise and you go to places that you probably would never go to if you didn’t have to. It starts as a burden, then you start enjoying it and then you begin to discover and finally you are telling stories.

But it also can be the opposite; sometimes i just want to enjoy what i see without wanting to make pictures. But to do so its part of the job, part of the game I guess.”

What are your favourite themes?“I would say it’s about minorities, people who are different. Unknown worlds, unnoticed, forgotten, really small... I don’t know if this is my theme, but it is the direction I am going towards. Everything close and around me. It also can be a circus or something unconventional, out of the ordinary.”

What is your alignment as a photographer towards the other? “I want to get to know the other. I want to get in the life of the other and experience it.

I think I can do that with every other and enjoy it for a while. Then it is getting easy to photograph. When the other lets you in his/her life and then you become one of them. You become one and than everything starts to work out.”

As documentary photographer, how do you develop trust?“Like I said with the last question; just try to be part of them and then they will let you in. And if that means that I have to become rude and loud with the guys in the bar and drink beers, than I will do that. Or if I have to exagerate I am a lady with make-up and high heels, then I will do that as well.

I adjust to the people, because I think its nice for the people to see that you are not a stranger, but one of them. And its not fake, because I am enjoying becoming one of them for a while.”

What makes one image stand out more than another?“When you feel what the person on the picture feels, the emotion the person is having at that moment. I think it’s meant for a photographer to catch this. So when the picture is very emotional, then I remember it.”

Can you describe your favourite photograph?“I think its a bullshit question but I can make it easy by saying; Analogue, black and white, very rough grain, blurry image not clear what’s there, but what gives you a certain emotion; moody.”

What sort of photography irritates you?“I would say Dutch documentary photography. This very clean, very bright, detached, which is as organized as Dutch society is. Of course there are exceptions, but there is certain idea, style. Staged is also not really my style, but there is a lot of photography that’s not my style but still, that doesn’t irritates me. But this Dutch cold, boring, no emotions pictures thing, really irritates me. Rineke Dijkstra? No I don’t like her pictures.”

Yana Volovich

Interview and photo by Susanne Duppen

“If getting trust means that I have

to become rude and loud with the

guys in the bar and drink beer,

then I will do that”

Yana Volovich. She’s loud, different, warm and honest as one can be. Yana is Yana and nothing else. Through her pictures we get to know her world at ADM in Amsterdam, her travels, her family and friends. The interview starts when wine, cheese and olives are on the table...

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Being different: Fate or choice? By Yana Volovich

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In western societies post-modern tribalism shapes our world, from the sub-culture we adopt, to the shirt we wear on our back. But what of our tribes? Are they lost forever? Or are they thriving in the margins of our society?

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What or who inspires you?“I find my inspiration in daily life, in my surrounding, meeting new people and during conversation with friends. As a foreigner [she is Polish], I have a strong observation for everything in my surrounding. Why is that? Because I am mostly looking for lifestyle and cultural differences. Furthermore, my attention is trigged visually. By memorizing images I encounter, I build up a mental image bank to use later. It is exciting, the people I talk to, during research and their stories are a huge inspiration.” She laughs and goes on mentioning she is also inspired by music, watching movies, exhibitions and work of others. When did you become interested in photography?It was in her teenage years Ola became fascinated by photography. Driven by the thought she wanted to be different than most teenagers at her school, she started to use her father’s camera. “It was a Zenit, a Russian copy of the Leica rangefinder camera. I used it to photograph my friends and family.” After middle school she studied interior design. “After five hours of drawing still lives, I got sick and tired of it. My professor then gave me the assignment to experiment with photography. I fell in love with it, creating an image on a negative followed by hours spent in the dark room to discover the result.”

What is the most exciting part of being a photographer? For a moment Ola gazes out of the living room window. After a few seconds she looks back at me and says: “Society is such a busy place nowadays. In my opinion what is most exciting is discovering and presenting stories that are not visible in our day to day lives. The stories we don’t notice because we rush through our day.”

What are your favourite themes?Her passion is clear; you can see it in her eyes. She is involved with every aspect connected to people, cultures and social problems. “I know it may sound pathetic, I like to observe. Afterwards I have some extra knowledge about people’s behavior and habits. Somehow I want to show their essence with the use of photography, also adding some background information on the issue expressed.”

What is your alignment as a photographer towards ‘the other’? “When I was told the theme of this newspaper supplement was going to be ‘the other’ I sat down to think about it. The more I thought about it, the more complicated it became to me. The other is everything that surrounds me. I am the other. That is why I am a photographer, to show the differences between cultures, behaviors, close to me or in unknown to me worlds. As a foreigner living in The Netherlands I can show a different point of view.” Ola gets up from her seat and walks quietly out of the room. With a smirk on her face she walks back in again, shows me a bottle of dry white wine and hints for a cigarette break.

As a documentary photographer, how do you develop trust with the people you photograph?Delighted by the wine we continue our conversation at the roof terrace. “I don’t have a special way to develop trust during photographing. I always try to create a close connection with people. Actually I’ve never thought about it. I’m always the same person, I like to listen. I have my own opinion but will not judge. Language problems and cultural differences are not new to me, I always find a similarity. Positive thinking and a smile always help.”

What makes one image standout more than another?For Ola aesthetics have an important place in photography. She wonders if it is because of her Eastern soul. In her opinion the greatest concept is nothing without interesting and high quality visual elements. “A good composition is important to me, also playing with light. I do not like flat images. Last not least, I appreciate experiments within photography.”

Describe your favourite photograph.Hesitating a bit she answers “I do not have a favourite photograph”, when I ask her about her favourite photograph. All the time I discover new images, day by day. I do have some favourite photographers like Anton Corbijn, Antoine d’Agata and also movie makers like Wong Kar-Wai.”

What sort of photography irritates you?The evening sets in and it’s time to prepare a good dinner to accompany the open bottle of wine. As we walk in I wonder what kind of photography irritates Ola. Not a very positive question to end our conversation with. Curiosity persuades me to ask it anyway. “What irritates me? I do not think I can tell. Many kinds of photography do not fit me, maybe war photography. This genre of photography became more aggressive and is showing more violence then before. It’s also the way editors present those photographs in the newspapers; they have the power to change the meaning of photographs completely. Yes, this irritates me. Not the photograph itself, but how it’s being places out of context.”

Olga Tokarczyk

Interview and photo by Tamara Robeer

“Society is such a busy place

nowadays. Most exciting is to discover and

present stories unnoticed

because we rush through our

days”

First impressions of Olga Tokarczyk (32) : quiet, friendly, cheerful. Getting to know her you discover that she likes to talk, is playful and has a big passion for analogue photography and experiments with it. She prefers to be called Ola, it sounds softer.

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Berliner times three

Paul Reimert. From Arhnem The Netherlands. 30 years in Berlin. Ceramiccollages.

By Olga Tokarczyk

Aleksandra Szafiejew. From Szczecin, Poland. 12 years in Berlin. Glass sculptor.

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Andy Reich a.k.a. Mr. Brillovsky. From Rostock, Germany. 20 years in Berlin. Aleksandra Szafiejew. From Szczecin, Poland. 12 years in Berlin. Glass sculptor.

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Unlike any other garden

Nomadic Green launched Princess Gardens as a pilot project in the summer of 2009 at Moritzplatz in Berlin Kreuzberg, a site which had been a wasteland for over half a century. Along with friends, fans, activists and neighbours, the group cleared up and built transportable organic vegetable plots. The resulting Princess Gardens not only produce food locally, but it also creates a new urban city life.

By Olga Tokarczyk

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What or who inspires you?We are in her living room and I see a lot of photo books and music records. Asking about her inspiration is a good way to start the interview with. “Mostly it starts with a free association coming from intuition. With a theme in the back of my mind I carry on with daily life activities. In the meanwhile I project this theme on everyone and everything I encounter. The fun part is that I myself also never know what to expect. Furthermore I get my inspiration from music; a good old-fashioned living room disco creates new energy.” She also gets her inspiration from photographers like Joel Sternfeld, Alec Soth and Vesselina Nikolaeva which inspire her with their visual style. “Fazal Sheikh and Heidi de Gier inspire me for their personal approach.”

When did you become interested in photography?She smiles and starts to answer slowly. “To be honest, I used to be clueless concerning photography. It took some time before I realized what photography could bring me. I wasn’t aware of its potential to tell stories.” When she was 11 years old Tamara started dreaming about Art academy. “I was cutting and gluing paper; never had any attention for the camera. At the age of 24 I started to take pictures. Four years later on a trip to Romania there was a moment that was so important I needed to capture it. Not knowing why; just feeling its importance. Those pictures got me accepted at Art academy.”

What is the most exciting part about being a photographer?Now I see how her eyes are glowing, I got the feeling this is her passion. “Following my intuition, being curious, a trail into the unknown and the adrenaline make it exciting.” She also uses the knowledge learned with photography, in her private live. “The importance of things and relations in life became fluid and keep evolving. I like this process, even though it can be tough too. Photography can be a fast hunt or a slow and careful observation.”

What are your favourite themes?“Traditions, social relations, memories and truth.” This was a fast answer. Tamara is interested in why do people do what they do. “If human actions are repeated and become traditions they must be important. They provide comfort, happiness and are a way to escape fear and uncertainties. Social relations are an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Observing people who show their own awkwardness, it portrays some sort of charm and helps to place my own awkwardness into perspective. I hope it creates some awareness in the way we perceive each other.”

What is your alignment as a photographer towards ‘the other’?We decided to have a small break. I start to wonder what she is thinking about now? With her photography Tamara looks for nostalgia, I think this is the link between her and Romania. “The other is everything I am not. My mother is the other and so is the queen too. My Romanian family is different than I am, even though we belong to the same family we are born and raised in different countries. Sometimes I feel

like the other in new situations. I see the world as a playground with lots of new experiences and people to meet. The only condition is to treat people with respect, gain knowledge about them and own the responsibility to create the right frame.”

As a documentary photographer, how do you develop trust with the people you photograph?“For me there is only one way to build trust: being myself. Be honest, never pretend to be something you are not, never break a promise, always take time to get to know someone and give them the attention they deserve. Have an opinion, never judge. Treat people like you want to be treated.”

What makes one image stand out more than another?Discussing what is interesting and what not. “I love colourful, bright and carefully composed photographs. A story needs to be present; I want to be swept away into thinking about the photograph and the meaning of it. It needs to be a photograph with a clear focus on the subject. I am a chaotic thinker I want an image to keep me focused. When too much is happening my mind wonders off to things like making a list for groceries.”

Describe your favourite photograph:“Often I don’t have a favourite photograph. Do I need to have one?” She asks me. I ask her to think about it a bit longer. “I can’t capture my fascination in one photograph and choosing has never been a strong point”. At this moment Jim Goldberg intrigues Tamara, his Polaroid’s in the series ‘Open See’. Tamara likes diversity e.g. buying two pizzas and eat half of each.

What sort of photography irritates you?“There are a lot of photographs that will never capture my attention. Natural landscape photography is one of them. I get irritated by photographs poorly treated in Photoshop, just for an aesthetic reason without any statement. It’s all or nothing, a realistic looking picture or exaggerated editing. All in between sort of feels cheap or tasteless.”

Tamara Robeer

Interview and photo by Olga Tokarczyk

“I see the world as a playground

with loads of new experiences and people to meet”

Checking point: train station in Haarlem. Tamara is waiting for me with a big smile. On our way to her place, we stop at the market and buy our lunch. Practical thinking – why walk twice when we can combine those things? This is Tamara, a strong and very practical thinking woman. She is not tall (like she always says), but is very open minded, has a big heart and smiles a lot.

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Playroom

By Tamara Robeer

‘Playroom’ portrays a collection of private BDSM rooms accross the Netherlands. The rooms are carefully created by their owners with creativity and pride. These places, located in their homes, represent a daily lifestyle. The playrooms show diversity in desire and passion. ‘Playroom’ is made in an attempt to open up some mysteries by showing these private spaces.

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The Good Times

I look out for signs in my surrounding which connect me with another part of my identity, my Romanian heritage. When I travel in Eastern Europe, I enjoy creating images by reflecting my imagination and memories upon what I see there. In ‘The Good Times’ I deal with my nostalgia by combining images of Romania and former East Berlin.

By Tamara Robeer

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Wat of wie inspireert je?“Frank Zappa omdat hij heel veel vieze dingen zegt! Nee, omdat hij in zijn teksten een twist geeft aan de werkelijkheid. Hij provoceert om te reflecteren op die werkelijkheid. Ed van der Elsken provoceerde met zichzelf, dat vind ik misschien zo interessant aan hem. En hij komt ermee weg omdat hij een dusdanige charme heeft. Bruce Gilden kiest ervoor het extreem te doen. Ook erg leuk, maar hij wordt een karikatuur van zichzelf. Die rol zou ik niet kunnen innemen. Daarnaast houd ik van alle boeken van Milan Kundera. Er zit een grappig stuk in ‘Identiteit’. Kundera beschrijft daarin een vrouw van oudere leeftijd die niet meer charmant is en weg loopt. Ze wil gedag zeggen, draait haar hoofd en in dat ene gebaar is ze ineens een frivole vrouw. En vanuit dat gebaar bouwt Kundera een nieuw personage op, over wie de rest van het boek gaat. Dat gebaar vertelt niet het verhaal van die vrouw, aldus Kundera, maar van heel veel vrouwen. Dat zijn dingen waar ik nog wel iets mee wil doen. Eigenlijk zijn we niet zo origineel.”

Wanneer raakte je geïnteresseerd in fotografie:“Op een gegeven moment raakte ik geïnteresseerd in beeldhouwen. Klassiek, met een beitel in hout. Na een verhuizing had ik geen tuin en dus geen werkplek meer. Ik had wel een gangkast en mijn ouders hadden nog een doka. Ik ben toen veel foto’s gaan schieten en ontdekte dat dat ook een soort beeldhouwen was. Het werd een dagelijks bezigheid en ik wilde er meer mee. Maar kunstacademies daar geloofde ik niet in. Daar liepen voor mijn idee alleen maar coke-snuivende nozems rond. Dat kwam omdat ik alleen op feesten van de AKI en Rietveld was geweest. Toen werd een vriend van mij van de KABK gegooid, hij vond het een slechte school. En toen dacht ik ‘daar moeten ze kwaliteiten hebben’, want hij is dus zo’n nozem.”

Wat trekt je het meest aan in fotografie?“Het vrij mogen kijken en observeren van alle gekte in deze wereld.”

Wat zijn je favoriete thema’s?“Vind je mensen een thema? Sociale interactie en de rollen die mensen zich toe-eigenen vind ik interessant. Ik ben ook geïnteresseerd in keuzes van mensen. Hoe mensen zich met de wereld bezighouden. Het kan gaan over de simpelste burger of de allergrootste mafkees. Nu concentreer ik me bijvoorbeeld op dementerende ouderen. Mensen die op de rand balanceren van de maatschappij vind ik interessant. Hun toestand zegt denk ik niet alleen iets over hen maar ook over de maatschappij. Dit is voor mij een belangrijk thema waar ik misschien nog niet genoeg mee doe.”

Hoe verhoudt je je tot de ‘ander’?“Ik ben zelf vooral een observerende fotograaf. Door die afstand zie ik veel interessante dingen en gedragen mensen zich natuurlijk. Ik ben geen provocateur zoals Ed van der Elsken of een communicatieve Martijn van der Griendt. Maar ik heb daar wel veel bewondering voor en ik ben daarnaar op zoek. Ik zie dat ik ook de verbinding kan aangaan met de ander. Je

ontdekt veel nieuws wanneer je in de wereld staat en er niet alleen naar kijkt. Het hangt er ook vanaf wat je fotografeert. Bij elk onderwerp kun je als goede fotograaf een andere positie kiezen. Wil ik registeren? Wil ik een vreemdeling laten zien?”

Maar is iemand uit Afrika niet per definitie ‘vreemder’ dan iemand uit je eigen dorp? “Nou nee. Ik had in mijn dorp altijd het gevoel dat ik een pikzwarte neger was. Dus ik heb altijd die afstand altijd ervaren, ook als kind.”

Hoe ontwikkel je het vertrouwen van de mensen die je fotografeert?“Ik ben me er bewust van dat ik mijn persoonlijkheid en karakter mee heb, maar ik vertrouw er nog niet genoeg op. Terwijl als ik ergens binnen kom, dan wordt ik bijna altijd geaccepteerd. In het geval van de woongroepen die ik fotografeerde probeerde ik te zorgen dat het niet om de fotografie ging, dat leidt af. Dus ik ging een beetje ouwehoeren. Je wordt een stuk van de inventaris die lekker koffie meedrinkt. Ik fotografeerde ook automatisch om de halve minuut. In het werk kon je hierdoor echt de verhoudingen zien; wie de broek aan heeft, wie het lulletje is. En het leuke is dat zij het goed ontvingen.”

Wat maakt de ene foto beter dan de andere?“Als hij door mij gemaakt is! Nee, geen idee.”

Kun je dan een favoriete foto beschrijven?“Bij echt goede foto’s krijg ik het idee dat het bijna wel verzonnen moet zijn, dat het eigenlijk niet kan. Daardoor wordt je geconfronteerd met jouw concept van werkelijkheid.

Is er fotografie die je irriteert?Genoeg! Er is maar weinig fotografie die me boeit. Je ziet nu dat het gaat ook om het glaasje op de tafel. Het liefst staat er ook veel tekst bij en lijntjes. Je kijkt dan naar de ego stuiptrekken van iemand die een camera om zijn nek heeft. Het werk is dan niet opgebouwd vanuit een werkelijke observatie. Dan kijk ik nog liever naar een commerciële modefoto, die dient tenminste zijn doel.”

Sven Jacobs

Interview en foto door Elske Verdoorn

“Ik had in mijn dorp altijd het

gevoel dat ik een pikzwarte neger was. Dus ik heb

die afstand altijd gevoeld, ook als

kind”

“Ik doe niet aan zelfcensuur.” Wie Sven Jacobs interviewt komt daar al snel achter. Sven provoceert in de hoop dat mensen zich blootgeven. Als fotograaf observeerde hij vooralsnog van een afstandje, maar daar gaat verandering in komen. Hij wil dat provoceren ook in zijn fotografie gaan toepassen.

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Mijn mens kwijtDementie, een keerpunt in een leven waar je van autonoom mens steeds afhankelijker wordt van je omgeving. Door aantasting van je hersenen bereik je een punt waar je niet meer weet wie je bent of waarom. Van volwaardig zelfstandig mens naar een mens die, afhankelijk van zorg en verzorgingshuis, wacht tot de dood. In een artikel in de nrc next 04-10-2011 verwoordt Ton van der Leun (alzeimerpatient) het als volgt tegen zijn vrouw: “Ik ben mijn mens kwijt”. Wat betekent het om je mens kwijt te zijn, en wat maakt ons dus mens?

Door Sven Jacobs

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Een fris garnizoen

Door Sven Jacobs

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Elk jaar organiseert defensie de landmachtdagen. ‘Vechten voor Vrede en Vrijheid, je moet het maar kunnen’ dat is de slogan! Een basis wordt omgetoverd tot presentatie terrein om te laten zien wat het inhoud om in het leger te zijn en om nieuwe mensen te werven. Verse schoolverlaters kunnen een kijkje nemen en onderzoeken of zij de held kunnen zijn.

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What sparked your interest in photography?“I was interested at an early age. My father was an amateur photographer and I copied him a bit. Through him I owned my first camera when I was eight and shot the 35mm film I received a couple of times a year. I picked it up easily and experimented with developing myself, but was very particular in which shot to take, so I really took my time. It wasn’t until the time of social studies (CMV), that I had photography as a subject.”

What is the most exciting part about being a photographer?“To go deeper on subjects I don’t really know much about and to explore ideas. What makes photography nice and interesting is that I can look at the world in a different way. Its very visual, which is actually a limitation, but at the same time makes it stronger. One of the main characteristics and unique features of still photography is that you remember it. You see an image in your head, which you don’t get with video. Photographs are stronger. I like that I can tell stories and then want to tell the whole story, which usually has two sides. Pictures can be very persuasive and a good series can say a lot and I think photography can help change things in society.”

Who inspires you?“At the moment its Karl de Keyzer and Martin Parr.”

Describe your favourite photograph?“There are so many. It’s difficult to name one picture, its always difficult. One would be either Martin Parrs picture in “Last Resort”, where this person is lying right under a digging machine. Its funny and slightly bizarre, because these people are really having fun. It makes me laugh and it shows something about the people. Another is Karl de Keyzers picture in the ‘Zona’

series, where prisoners are playing tennis without a ball. It illustrates how that prison camp is orchestrated and in that sense tells a lot about the Russian system at that time (maybe still). Here, what you see has nothing to do with reality, which is a very clever use of photography.”

What makes one image stand out more than another?“What makes one image more special than another is its ability to surprise - sometimes because it’s funny, or the framing is unusual. I like pictures that make me smile, because it’s well done.”

What are your favourite themes?“My early interest was very political. The themes might not have changed so much, but they’re losing the political aspect. I’m interested in things that frustrate me and which I don’t quite understand.

The focus lies more and more on the people who go through something, rather than in the institutions, which cause it. Immigration, cultural cuts, poverty and identity, but also cultural differences. I am interested in other people and Eastern Europe is an intriguing part of Europe. It’s savagely alive. Its rawness makes it very real and I like that, because you can make pictures of something closer to reality there - here it’s just so much appearance. At the same time I can see myself working in Holland more and more.”

What is your position towards the other?“I don’t take pictures of my peer group (yet): highly educated people, who prefer cafés over nightclubs and drink quality beers. These people don’t fit in the story I want to tell, because there is no conflict here.

I’m not interested in my friends, because I know my friends. So I photograph outside of this group and there I am always aware of the fact that I am the photographer, I stay at a distance. I want to remain clear in my intentions, which isn’t becoming friends with the people. For me its important not to make a flat story or portray someone ignorantly, which means I really have to get to know the people and their circumstances.”

How do you develop trust to the people you photograph?“I talk. I usually don’t explain my project in too much detail. One of my characteristics is that I’m genuine - people feel that. I never ask questions out of courtesy, but because I’m really interested and I hardly take a stance. The context is very important to me, so I try to understand the people I’m photographing. This is how I show that I am not careless with material and that I don’t mean any harm.”

What sort of photography irritates you?“Fashion. I would almost call it fascistic. It’s about beauty and nothing else. This scares me. What scares me even more is how serious people take it. Photography to a big part is its language. I bought the first Dutch Vogue, because I had hoped things had changed, but it just confirmed my worst nightmare.Maybe I just don’t understand it, but I only see the celebration of beauty and feel sorry for the ugly. I like honesty. I like debate and independence. All these things have a conflict in them opposed to freedom and beauty. Nothing happens in beauty. I like dark fairy tales and too me conflict is not a negative thing - to me it is very important.

Life is interesting because death is coming, otherwise you would take it for granted. People are afraid of the other side and like to point out the happy things, the world with all its different sides is much more interesting than this urge for the happy, the nice and the beautiful.”

Jacob Gesink

Interview and photo by Florestan Korp

“Life is interesting

because death is coming,

otherwise you would take it for

granted”

Jacob Gesink (29) took a bachelor degree from his study Cultureel Matschappelijk Vorming and went on to study one year of Philosophy at the Radboud University in Nijmegen. Next to his study of Photography at the KABK in Den Haag he works with socially challenged teenagers and children.

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Don’t mention the war

In former-Yugoslavia everything is related to the war, making it hard for an outsider to stay out of the continuing conflict. Every time I visit I remember the advice given to me on my first visit; don’t mention the war.

By Jacob Gesink

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Generation ‘45

The American and Canadian veterans from second world war are celebrated annually in Holland. Due to their old age, their numbers diminish, banishing the events of the war to history books.

By Jacob Gesink

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Editor in ChiefEwoud Traast

Editor Sven Jacobs

Introduction Text and Design Tamara Robeer

Design and LayoutJacob Gesink & Florestan Korp

Text EditorsAlexis Anyfantakis, Yana Volovich, Elske Verdoorn & Jacob Gesink

Cover DesignSusanne Duppen & Elske Verdoorn

Pre-PressOlga Tokarczyk & Florestan Korp

Sequencing and editing was a joint effort of the KABK part-time photography group of 2011/2012 under the supervision of Ewoud Traast.

Colophon

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Alexis [email protected]+31(0)613562048

Susanne [email protected]+31(0)624537757

Jacob [email protected]+31(0)641353686

Sven [email protected]+31(0)616404203

Florestan [email protected]+31(0)619988165

Tamara [email protected]+31(0)641038668

Olga [email protected]+31(0)681914122

Elske [email protected]+31(0)650642643

Yana [email protected]+31(0)620576816

Contact

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NRC Photography Special The Other © 2012 KABK FDT2