photography – Pagina 2 – imageLab photography Paul Struijk

25 mei 202326 mei 2023

blog #17 The doors of perception

Naples: A marriage of heaven and hell

I walk to my home in Napoli / Naples over the Decumano Superiore (Via Anticaglia) and cannot believe my eyes. The Roman amphitheater is still visible in the structure of the streets and houses. Two thousand years of layers on top of layers. My house is built on and in the amphitheater. I am in heaven!! But the next moment I have to jump for my life when a scooter tries to go even faster when his eyes focus on me .. hell.
I find safety in one of the gates to a caravanserai like courtyard. These gates are huge. But the door to enter is very tiny indeed.

24 mei 202324 mei 2023

blog #16 Gino’s world

little children and little chairs were the only thing

he cared about. Holding tight to this made breathing almost possible. His world contained only sweet things. He tried to keep loud and sharp away. But his world was shrinking.
Of course neighbors loved him and his growing assembly of little chairs, they smiled to him or “Salve” to him but did not stay long. Children came often to him to watch him sanding a chair or listening to him while singing wild and sometimes tears flowed.
One day it was silent and the door closed. Never ever the parade of little chairs enchanted passengers anymore. Nobody knew what went wrong but Gino wasn’t here anymore.

23 mei 202323 mei 2023

blog #15 Paris chances

the picture I consciously did not take

“the boy was only 13 maybe 14
shorts and thin legs
pale like the wall
his hat skew.
the break was short
his backpack bigger than himself
no brother to go along
no mother to stroke his hair.
I believe one second he saw me
strangers touching
and he went on
leaving me with ages of distance
apart.”

23 mei 202323 mei 2023

blog #14 Sangue innocente

Being a boy in Naples

Gianni vive ..

A boy has been killed .. Gianni is dead. Probably killed by another group of boys, young same age. Napoli has very harsh problems. Criminality under young boys is still there.
This is the football square he used to play with his friends and his brother. They still play football there, almost every sunny day. His little brother shows me the monument on the right to remember Gianni .. Gianni lives. He is with Maradonna giving Napoli the 3rd championship. Napoli is one big blue-white plastic party. Life and death closely connected.