street – scenes | delaatinge

it is not a sunny world

Original post: March 2013

The small village Doel (700 years old) in Belgium is threatened with complete demolition due to the future enlargement of the harbour of Antwerp.
The history of demolition goes back to the early sixties, when the first plans for enlargement were developed.
At the moment there are still 26 inhabitants (original inhabitants and renters) in the village who resist the demolition of their homes.
The situation has reached an impasse at the moment.

Walking through the village gives a sad feeling. To me it felt like a mixture of incomprehension, anger, sadness, melancholy, perseverance, history, memories, resistance, attempts at new life, anarchism, creativity, resignation, vandalism and glimpses of invisible inhabitants.
The sun is shining in the same in the streets as the sun shone for the sixties, extensions of the port of Antwerp were not in discussion and inhabitants lived together as in many other villages.
For their living inhabitants were possibly active at the port of Antwerp, the same port an ultimately headed monster turned out to be.

The typical checkerboard pattern of the village dates from the beginning of 16oo, when geometric farmlands for the first time were mapped. The pattern has not changed very much over the years. This fact makes (made) the village a rare example of regional urbanization and nowadays an extra unreal sight.

The strange feeling of walking through the village is further strengthened by the presence of the nuclear plant of Doel near the village.

ready for takeoff

Ready before World Championships Soccer, Groningen, June 2014.

on her way

February 2014, Amsterdam, Leidseplein (Stadsschouwburg).

The moment I took this picture, I was trying out my iPhone settings with my Instant 110 app. Suddenly this girl appeared. I think I was hit by her mood and the fact she was walking around, alone, Only after I had made the picture, I discovered the classic’ (modern?) camera around her neck. Maybe something I unconscious already had listed before. Hope she had a good journey.

dream

Amsterdam, Vijzelstraat. View from entrance from the Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

Street: on their way 2

Amsterdam, May 2015.
Corner Damrak and Prins Hendrikkade.

Afsluitdijk_m_01 Afsluitdijk_m_02 Afsluitdijk_m_06 Afsluitdijk_m_09 Afsluitdijk_m_10 Afsluitdijk_m_13 Afsluitdijk_m_17 Afsluitdijk_m_19 Afsluitdijk_m_20 Afsluitdijk_m_21 Afsluitdijk_m_24 Afsluitdijk_m_27 Afsluitdijk_m_28 Afsluitdijk_m_29 Afsluitdijk_m_30 Afsluitdijk_m_31 Afsluitdijk_m_33

Street / other: the Afsluitdijk

The Afsluitdijk. A 32km long dike connecting North-Holland and Friesland. Built in 1930 to close what is now the IJsselmeer from being flooded by the North Sea. The dike was built as part of a plan to reclaim land in the IJsselmeer; this land became the province of Flevoland.
(Source: Wikipedia)

The past ten years I travelled several times between Den Helder (North Holland) and my home town (in Friesland) and passed with my car the Afsluitdijk.
But I think paused on it only a few times in all those years.

So, my new Ricoh GR iii occasion camera was a good reason to do that at the end of June 2013. I decided to capture my impressions on all the motorway stops on it with the setting ‘cross processing’ on my Ricoh. Normally I do not like preset settings on cameras that much. But I think the presets – adjustments can be made manually – on this Ricoh are different. It was fun to work with it.

In the gallery it is. Passing the Afsluitdijk during my ride from West to East, from North Holland to Friesland. It was nice to find myself unexpectedly (at least earlier that morning) between a mix of travellers from the Netherlands and abroad, motorist, cyclist and even walkers at the stops nearby the motorway. Unexpectedly maybe more was my visit at camping club ‘Het Wad’ at the former work island Breezanddijk. The campsite, not open for regular travellers, is situated right nearby the motorway, a car stop, a work area and the side branch of the IJssel Lake. Surprised by the location of the campsite and the state of their homes, I got in touch with some occupants of the homes who told me about the camping club. Thanks for that. Depending on the weather people live there in the weekends and throughout the week from April until October. As one of the occupants told me: ‘we need less’.

I have decided not to edit the pictures in the gallery. It is as it was.
Thanks to my Ricoh, the Afsluitdijk, the water, and the occupants of camping club ‘Het Wad’.

More background (in Dutch):
– Andere Tijden, May 2007 (history, consequences and results – broadcast and article);

– Trouw, May 2007 (about Het Wad).

gallery update follows

the artist

Travalgar Square, London, 2013.
Although I do not like to photograph street artists that much, I couldn’t stand this. Als because it seemed that only we and this man were there. Plus: this street artist disappeared as fast as he came, it took all about only 5 minutes.

Noorderlicht 2012

Visit in september 2012 to the Noorderlicht International Photofestival. This years theme was ‘Terra Cognita’. Main location was Museum Belvédère in Heerenveen.
With a good friend a took bart to a bustour along six old small Frysian churches which served as exhibiton space. Each exhibition was worth a visit.
The top picture shows the own tribute from visitors to the exhibition in the field near small church of Haskerdijken for a project from Tineke Fischer. I met among others ‘Girl with Trowel’ and her mum (the two persons in the front), which was a great pleasure.
I was most impressed by the work of Heidi de Gier, with the exposition ‘ A Falling Horizon’ in the small church of Rottevalle. The church and this work are on the below picture.