In collaboration with Forhanna, BredaPhoto Festival presents a multidisciplinary photo-film installation by the famous photographer Geert van Kesteren. His project ‘The Believers’ is tailor-made for a very special festival location: the former Koepel prison in the centre of Breda.
The installation in De Koepel by Geert van Kesteren consists of a video wall of no less than 27 screens, and a number of photographic triptychs. Van Kesteren approaches the BredaPhoto theme ‘From Infinity and Beyond’ from a historical religious perspective: what will be the ‘human condition’ in the 21st century? For this he traveled to the center of the old world. Around the Temple Mount in the Holy Land an ancient God is still worshiped in three different forms. In the meanwhile a new prophecy of cool algorithms serves every desired form of self-awareness and meaning.
Geert van Kesteren has worked as a war correspondent for more than 20 years and has published two important photo books about the American Iraq war, including the widely praised book ‘Why Mister, Why?’ His books and photographs are part of collections at leading museums such as the Rijksmuseum and have received international recognition including the prestigious ‘Infinity Award’ from the ICP in New York. Van Kesteren about the BredaPhoto project: “BredaPhoto has directed my work in an interesting direction; do not just look at the old world, but also point your camera at the new; on the future.” Image and sound design The presentation will use the unique architecture of the Dome Prison in its image and sound design. The first thing the visitor faces when entering is a video installation. A construction of 27 digital screens; the medium of our contemporary culture that influences and directs our spirituality with cybernetic electronic content. Behind it, Van Kesteren presents photographic triptychs inspired by religious paintings. The whole is accompanied by a soundscape composed by the Israeli composer Eli Shargo, edited by Noa Ben-Shalom, where the contrast between religion and technology will constantly be expressed.