Photographer Bram Tackenberg makes connection…
Together with more than 60 residents from the Heerlen neighbourhood Heerlerheide, photographer Bram Tackenberg, in co-production with festival Cultura Nova, modestly portrays the humanity of one of the poorest neighbourhoods in The Netherlands. Proud and vulnerable, the residents open their doors to him and show that they are there.
The project ‘The Living Rooms of Heerlerheide’ is given back to the neighbourhood in the form of a double exhibition and magazine. From 19 December to 18 March, the more than thirty living room portraits of local residents can be viewed on banners along public roads and in the Gen Coel cultural centre in the Heerlen neighbourhood.
All the front doors in Heerlerheide will also receive an accompanying magazine in their mailboxes (circulation 12,000). In collaboration with journalist Maike Jeuken and designer Erik Sleijpen a unique publication was realized, in which all living room portraits are brought together and supplemented with ten interviews with portrayed people, including a contribution of Lodewijk Asscher.
The ‘Living rooms of Heerlerheide’ is the new subseries of the long-running photo project ‘The living rooms’ by Bram Tackenberg, in which he portrays people in their own living rooms. Characteristic for the portraits is that everyone is captured without judgement in an equal and dignified way. The series shows the diversity, but also the equality of people in a beautiful, modest way. The series, which Tackenberg started in 2014, now has many faces and several sub-series. His portraits have been nominated for the Rabo Dutch National Portrait Prize the past two years, published in publications such as Volkskrant Magazine, NRC, AD, PF and acquired by various museums.
The choice for the neighbourhood Heerlerheide is partly inspired by the fact that the photographer grew up here in the first years of his life. The need arose to give this neighbourhood a face. Nationwide, many eyes are focused on this area. It is a neighbourhood where the socio-economic position lags behind and the quality of life and safety are under pressure. For this reason, the government and local parties, with Lodewijk Asscher as quartermaster, are actively pursuing urban renewal. The neighbourhood is earmarked as a so-called problem neighbourhood, but there is so much more to it.
This project shows the human capital. The vulnerability and strength of the people who live there. Proudly they show themselves and invite to connect. Anyone can step over the proverbial threshold into their home. The living room project thus opens doors both literally and figuratively. Tackenberg’s projects in the public space get local residents talking to each other, strengthen social structures and promote mutual cohesion.
Outdoor location Exhibition: Around the Corneliusplein, Heerlen.
Indoor location Exhibition: Cultural Centre ‘Gen Coel’, Groeët Genhei 20, Heerlen.
The project is therefore supported and facilitated by a broad coalition from the social and cultural domain. This consists of: festival Cultura Nova, Weller, municipality Heerlen, IBA parkstad, Stadsregio Parkstad, SCHUNCK, Woonpunt and entrepreneurs association Heerlerheide.
The exhibition takes place within the framework of the IBA Expo year.
Digital version magazine: www.bramtackenberg.nl