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The Horizons of Ger Dekkers

January 15, 2014 by fosco lucarelli Leave a Comment

The work of Ger Dekkers (Dutch photographer, living and working in Giethoorn, the Netherlands) is

characterized by landscape photographs carefully orchestrated in linear or grid sequences. The

abstraction results from a conceptual approach in the representation of Dutch landscape.

As accurately explained by Graham Dew, in the works whose approach is based upon linear sequences,

Dekkers tries to capture the repetitive geometry of Dutch man-made territory in a cinematic fashion: as

the landscape unfolds in patterns of fields lined with trees and fences, the eye of the camera moves and

crystallizes similar views from different positions. “The baseline concept is to place distant landmarks

(farmhouses, the horizon) in exactly the same position in each frame, whilst using strong graphical

entities (plough lines, stands of trees) to move through subsequent frames. Dekker uses a medium

format camera frequently with a widish lens to further emphasise convergent lines.” (Graham Dew)

The visible results of this technique are both a faux-panoramic effect, and a set of movie frames.

In the grid approach, Dekkers points the camera to a fixed viewpoint and then moves the direction of

the view by regular increments. To quote Graham Dew, again: “Whilst I prefer the narrative of his

linear compositions, these grid patterns work, again, by repetition and reinforcement, this time

achieved by multiple framings.”

Although the photographer was quite renowned during the 70’s, with many albums published in his own

name, his work seems today to lack a deserved reconnaissance, as no personal website or Wikipedia

entry in English language exist.

So here’s our little contribution.

Further readings and images sources:

Ger Dekkers: Postcards From Holland, by Graham Dew

Ger Dekkers, by Peggie Breitbarth (in Dutch)

De horizon van Ger Dekkers, in Kunstenaarsboeken (artists’ books) uit Nederland en België deel 1: de

jaren ’70 en ’80.

Ger Dekkers: New Dutch Landscape-Poster, in Aiga Design Archives

Ger Dekkers, Nordhorn New Dutch Landscape 1980

Ger Dekkers books in Amazon