My name is Sander Dekker

Spontaneous, direct, and wonderfully eccentric: The visual worlds of Dutch photographer Sander Dekker burst with vitality and spirit. They are highly accessible; Dekker opts out of a predetermined concept, artificial mise-en-scène, and elaborate props. Instead, he captures his "models," whom he finds on Instagram and other platforms, mostly in their "natural environment," meaning their own homes, creating authentic photographic documents of people in their real-life settings. Despite their unusual poses, these subjects always appear self-determined, conjuring a unique aesthetic.

In Dekker's images, the focus is not primarily on beauty; certainly not on perfection or uniformity. What drives him in his search for human subjects is their uniqueness—along with the individual stories, small imperfections, and a hint of edginess that accompany them.

This can be touching, as seen with the ultra-masculine Anthony, who cuddles his tiny dog Otto in front of a kitschy portrait of his late mother. Or it can be self-ironic and sexy, as model Nadia playfully reinterprets the famous Allen Jones table as "food porn."

Thus, Sander Dekker, the advocate of authenticity, becomes a maestro of emotions. He impressively shows us that a picture can indeed say more than a thousand words...

Sander Dekker "My name is Sander Dekker" @ 30works Opening: October 21, 2016, 7:00 PM, Laudation: Gérard Goodrow Exhibition: October 22 - November 2, 2016
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 3:00-7:00 PM, Sat 11:00 AM-6:00 PM

30works Gallery Antwerpener Str. 42
50672 Cologne Tel. 0221 – 5700 250 hello@30works.de www.30works.de