Posts Tagged ‘Gallery EF’

Max van Trommel

Saturday, May 11th, 2024

“On the first day of the war there was a big bang- a bomb fell nearby and destroyed the facade in front of our house. I went into the cellar and hid in a baby carriage for all five days of the war. On the last day the Germans bombed Rotterdam. I came out of the cellar and saw that the sky was red because Rotterdam was burning.” -Max van Trommel

The bombing of the Dutch city of Rotterdam by the Luftwaffe occurred on May 14th,1940, four days after the start of the German invasion. The fierce resistance in Rotterdam was to be broken and the Dutch were forced to capitulate. Despite a truce that had been agreed in advance, the city was bombed under circumstances and is still controversial. The historic city center was destroyed, 900 people died and 85,000 people lost their homes. The Dutch government surrendered the following day and thus spared further cities a similar fate. Rotterdam remained occupied until the end of the Second World War.

During the occupation Max’s family suffered under the anti-Jewish measures. Max was the one to bring his sister away to a hiding place and later, he and his brother found a place in different locations in the east of the country. He spent the last three years of the war in hiding.

“During the first year not much changed. Then the Germans ordered us to wear yellow stars on our clothing. I had never been to a synagogue. I didn’t even know I was Jewish until they told me. Laws saying that Jews not allowed to travel on buses and trams, or go to public markets. That was the first serious sign that life had changed. Then they started issuing food coupons. We couldn’t buy certain things because there wasn’t enough food. My mother asked me to go around the city on bicycle to redeem the coupons. That was horrible because I went to shops outside my neighborhood where the owners didn’t know me. When they saw the yellow star they yelled at me to get out. It gave me an awful feeling that I was abnormal and wasn’t a part of the population.

When Jewish families began to be transported, my grandfather said we had to flee. My sister, 4, had to be brought to an address in Den Haag. My mother was unable to do that so I had to. I didn’t know the people who would be caring for my sister. My sister was anxious and felt something was wrong and didn’t want to leave my side. But I had to. The next day, my sister went to play in the garden then I left which was horrible because I betrayed my sister. I always hoped to apologize to my sister at the end of the war. The first time I saw my sister after the war, I spoke to her about it but she didn’t remember. My sister committed suicide at the age of 21. She wrote us a letter saying “I am not normal.” Which we understood because this is how we felt after the war. After the war I discovered my grandparents were hiding close to where I was. They had been betrayed and transported to Sobibor where they were murdered.”

This portrait is a part of my From Above project, which is a collection of portraits and reminiscences of atomic bomb survivors and firebombing survivors from Dresden, Tokyo, Coventry, Rotterdam and Wielun. A portion of From Above is permanently exhibited at the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Hall for Atomic Bomb Victims. It has also been exhibited in numerous museums and exhibition spaces. From Above was released as a limited edition book that was sold at PhotoEye.com. The book is sold out from the site, but I have the last copies. Contact me if you’re interested.

Floris

Monday, December 5th, 2022

“I’m thankful to have parents who are open minded, and listened to what I was feeling when I was young.”

-Floris, age 22, 2022

Floris is a young adult living in the Netherlands. He began transitioning to the gender he identified with when he was four-years-old.

This is the second portrait I photographed of Floris for my portrait project Embrace. The first portrait, photographed in 2016, was posted yesterday. Embrace is a long term project which explores the lives of transgender and gender non-binary youth, adults and elderly from different parts of the world. Embrace was exhibited at Gallery ef in Tokyo and FotoForum Dresden during 2020. I’m hoping to exhibit the project again in the near future.

Floris

Sunday, December 4th, 2022

“I live a normal life just like any other person, except mine has an extra chapter.”

-Floris, age 15, 2016

Floris is a young adult living in the Netherlands. He began transitioning to the gender he identified with when he was four-years-old.

This is the first portrait I photographed of Floris for my portrait project Embrace. The second portrait, photographed in 2022, will be posted tomorrow. Embrace is a long term project which explores the lives of transgender and gender non-binary youth, adults and elderly from different parts of the world. Embrace was exhibited at Gallery ef in Tokyo and FotoForum Dresden during 2020. I’m hoping to exhibit the project again in the near future.

From Above at Gallery ef

Thursday, November 4th, 2021

..September 2021… …Tokyo…

From Above at Gallery ef. From Above, consists of portraits and reminiscences of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and WWII firebombing survivors from Dresden, Coventry, Tokyo, Wielun and  Rotterdam.

Setsuko Thurlow

Wednesday, July 7th, 2021

Today is the 4th anniversary of the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).   On January 22nd (TPNW) it was enacted as international law.  Before this treaty nuclear weapons were the only weapons of mass destruction not banned by international law. 

Mrs. Setsuko Thurlow fought her entire life to see this treaty become reality.  I began photographing Mrs. Thurlow in 2011. From the moment we met her determination to fight for the abolition of nuclear weapons was evident.  She was 13 years old when the atomic bomb destroyed Hiroshima. 

 “When I sit down to write down my recollections of that time, I have to brace myself to confront my memories of Hiroshima.

It is exceedingly painful to do this because I become overwhelmed by my memories of grotesque and massive destruction and death.” -Setsuko Thurlow

Everyday I think about the survivors I met in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.  Most have passed but their memory lives on when the treaty banning nuclear weapons arrives.


Mrs. Thurlow’s portrait is part of my project, From Above, which is a collection portraits and reminiscences of atomic bomb survivors and fire bombing survivors from the Second World War.  It will be exhibited at Gallery ef in Tokyo on September 1st-12th. 

Hiroo Fujima

Wednesday, March 10th, 2021

“I poured the water I was carrying, over my head then poured the water into my hand and put my hand to my lips.  We helped each other and endured the suffocation.  Gradually, the burning heat had gone.

-Hiroo Fujima, Tokyo firebombing survivor

On the night of March 10th, 1945 Tokyo was pummeled into ash. The men, women and children in one of the world’s largest cities, crumbled under a calculated reign of fire.  More civilians died that night in Tokyo than both atomic bombings combined.

This portrait is a part of my From Above project which featured portraits of atomic bomb and firebombing survivors from WWII. My limited edition book is available at https://www.photoeye.com/bookstore/citation.cfm?catalog=I1040&i=&i2=

A small selection of From Above is being exhibited at Gallery èf in Tokyo to commemorate the people who perished in the destruction of Tokyo. The exhibition is open until March 10th.

Embrace at Gallery ef

Monday, November 30th, 2020

Embrace explores the lives of transgender and gender non-binary kids, teens, adults and elderly from different parts of the world. It will be exhibited from September 2nd-October 25th.

Gallery éf
2-19-18 Kaminarimon
Taito, Japan
www.gallery-ef.com

Gallery Hours: 12pm-6pm
Café Hours: 11am-6pm

ポーレ・サヴィアーノ写真展『Embrace』
・会期:2020 年 9月2日(水)~ 10月25日(日)
 12:00~18:00(最終日は17:00まで)火曜休廊|入場無料
・詳細はこちら http://www.gallery-ef.com/j.htm

Embace at Gallery ef, Tokyo

Saturday, November 28th, 2020

Embrace exhibition at Gallery ef

..Tokyo..

Embrace explores the lives of transgender and gender non-binary kids, teens, adults and elderly from different parts of the world. It will be exhibited from September 2nd-October 25th.

Gallery éf
2-19-18 Kaminarimon
Taito, Japan
www.gallery-ef.com

Gallery Hours: 12pm-6pm
Café Hours: 11am-6pm

ポーレ・サヴィアーノ写真展『Embrace』
・会期:2020 年 9月2日(水)~ 10月25日(日)
 12:00~18:00(最終日は17:00まで)火曜休廊|入場無料
・詳細はこちら http://www.gallery-ef.com/j.htm

Embrace at Gallery ef, Tokyo

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020

..September 2020.. ..Tokyo..

Embrace explores the lives of transgender and gender non-binary kids, teens, adults and elderly from different parts of the world. It will be exhibited from September 2nd-October 25th.

Embrace at Gallery ef, Tokyo

Thursday, September 10th, 2020

..September 2020.. ..Tokyo..


Embrace exhibition at Gallery ef in Tokyo.

Embrace explores the lives of transgender and gender non-binary kids, teens, adults and elderly from different parts of the world. It will be exhibited from September 2nd-October 25th.