Born in 1978 in Montreal, Canada. Lives in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
“Documentary photography is an interpretation of an existing story or given. That may be investigating or recording, but it’s always a coloured interpretation of the creator. The subjects that I choose seem airy, but they often have a tough, grim undertone. My interest is in places where fiction already plays an important symbolic role, such as theme parks from Dream City. In my imagery I find that ambiguity also. I work slowly and plan in advance, but within that tight organization I like to let things happen spontaneously. “
Eefje Blankevoort is co-founder of the journalism production company Prospektor. She writes articles and books and makes (multimedia) documentaries. She has published the books Stiekem kanhier alles (Secretly everything is possible here), about Iran, De ‘The Refugee Jackpot’ (with photographer Karijn Kakebeeke) and Dream City (with photographer Anoek Steketee). Her directorial
credits include the films Niemand vertelt mij wat ik moet geloven (No one tells me what to believe) and Joella, Best Friends Forever (both for IKON), Nieuw (New, NCRV Dokument Junior) and the youth programme Jong geleerd, oud gedaan (What is learned in the cradle is carried to the grave). For the exhibition ANGRY she produced video portraits of radicals and ex-radicals (Nederlands Fotomuseum Rotterdam). The interactive music documentary Hidden Wounds (IDFA Doclab, Reflecting Images 2013) and the two-part radio documentary Men don’t cry (OVT, VPRO), about veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, were recently released. She is currently working on the feature-length production Bring the Jews home (IKON).
Le concours international de photographie POPCAP est heureux d’annoncer les lauréats de l’édition 2014. Le prix vise à stimuler l’intérêt et le soutien pour la photographie africaine contemporaine. Les lauréats de cette année - de La Côte-d’Ivoire, Afrique du Sud, Belgique, Pays-Bas et la République démocratique du Congo - ont été choisis par un jury international via un processus de jugement en ligne. Le artistes gagnants auront leurs œuvres présentées plus tard cette année dans sept expositions en Europe et en Afrique.
Joana Choumali
Née 1974 à Abidjan, Côte-d’Ivoire. Réside à Abidjan Cococy, Côte-d’Ivoire
www.joanachoumali.com
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Sparkling lights, ice cream stores and a fairytale decor. The young Dutch photographer Anoek Steketee and the writer Eefje Blankevoort visited amusement parks in Iraq, Lebanon, Rwanda, China and other countries in the world. Steketee photographed visitors, the surroundings and personel.
Behind the innocent and light hearted character of the subject, a staged, serious and darker undertone is tangible. The images show us the stark contrast of the dream world in the park and the daily reality outside the fences.
The name of the project, Dream City, is named after the amusement park in Iraq. Kurds, Arabs – Shiites and Sunnis -, Christians, Muslims and American soldiers, they all visit the park. Segments of the Iraqi population that were submerged in a deadly struggle outside the gates. In the park they amuse...