Paul Donker Duyvis, Amsterdam NL
Unagi – © Paul Donker Duyvis
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Os quilombos fazem parte do fundo ético da sociedade paraense. Os atuais quilombolas descendem de escravos que não hesitaram em correr o risco de fugir para a liberdade. Graves formas de violência social, como massacres de quilombolas e práticas fascistas de estrangulamento de suas terras.
No século XXI, vivem em liberdade sitiada. Recentemente uma família foi dizimada.
No Marajó, os quilombos estariam sendo cercados por fazendeiros com cercas elétricas, como nos campo de concentração, por motivos fundiários. As comunidades perdem acesso à água, a fontes de alimento e lugares sagrados.
Paul Donker Duyvis aponta a discriminação e a violência às quais se expõe um “quilombo” urbano aqui e agora em Belém, através de formas ativas contemporâneas de marginalização. A exploração imobiliária ameaça a moradia da população da Vila da Barca. O modelo de desenvolvimento urbano
de Belém se aproxima da prática paulista de se apropriar de terrenos de favelas para entregar ao
capital imobiliário,expulsando os moradores para a periferia distante de seu trabalho.
A obra de Margalho Açu é uma instável construção de uma latrina, que denuncia as
precárias condições de higiene entre as populações marginais do Pará.
(Paulo Herkenhoff, 2007, Curator Arte Para)
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The real and the fictional world can be considered as the complex
relationship between the material and spiritual world,the temptations
of the body and the spiritual duties of the soul.
These two extremes are strongly interrelated in human life
and should not be seen as opposite poles or separate worlds.
Paul Donker Duyvis creates a Japanese atmosphere in his work,
not only by using typically Japanese objects such as kimonos,
fans and rice or Oriental-looking women. These are obviously
Japanese, or rather Oriental, attributes, but still just
properties of his work.These Japanese characteristics merge
strongly with the ambiguity of his images.
The Japanese have an unspoken agreement not to regard
paradoxical matters as paradoxical.
Contradictory elements are presented on a common level
instead, camouflaging them with a certain vague ambiguity.
To Westerners, ambiguity is opposite to clarity, but the
Japanese perceive this vague ambiguity as a means of
understanding the many layers of possible meanings.
These characteristics can also be recognised in his work,
strengthening the sense of Japanese aura.
Yuri Fujimoto
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Behind the facination any mirror, object or human, is able to provide, rests the (perception=)reality
that what you see is never 100% what you expect, what you get, what others get.
The reflection hardly equals perception; the reflection presents at least one outstanding feature that catches your eye and requires acceptance, if not comprehension–for starters–, comprehension
(=need to understand) being a more powerful driver than acceptance under human terms and ways, unfortunately.
Basically, it is unclear, to most of us, whether a (perception of) self is untrue or a (perception of) reflection. That is what really catches the eye. The drive to identify
the real self, as if there would be only one (perception of) way of the self.
Human nature at work, once again.
This photo, for example, could be just a snapshot, even if sold/ positioned as
a self-portrait of a the artist. Yet it is my view that decides
what this (perception of a) photo is, or this (perception of a) mirrored image is.
That makes the question irrelevant if the boy is caught in the act or directed.
The boy is just a happy boy, in (again, a Buddha state ;),
unaware of his larger than life nanosecond.
The reflection, though, is there, fully there, embracing
existence, not just hitting the water. The reflection shows the joy
and hope we all hold in some corner, and the catch is…
that we are both the boy and the reflection, simultaneously. Nothing fancier.
Or, if a tiny bit fancier, that we have the potential to be either, mirrored or not.
The choice. For all those majority instances when we’re not mirrored. When we think
we’re just one. When we refuse to think we’re so many more,
and we’re only comfortable with some of them getting mirrored 😉
I must add that the photo is a self-portrait of Paul… I’ve a weakness for Dutch guys… Perception rules. (Mirona Iliescu)
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This is a remarkable photo. The ultimate silence of the touching of the water. More than in any other photo time is frozen. The Japanese have this remakable little word ‘ma’ to express the suspension of time. It leads me further on to ponder on the size of the lake, and allows me to think of the lake as being round, circular and encompassing all. Like in the evocative pictures of Van der Heijden. The mirrorlike surface draws my attention to the title. a self-portrait? How is Paul included in this picture?
Who is this mysterious I?
Alberti.nl (May 2007)
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Paul Donker Duyvis verstaat zich als Nederlandse kunstenaar nadrukkelijk
met de niet westerse opvatting over de functie van kunst.
De betekenis van het beeld zoals zich dat in de westerse kunstbeschouwing
heeft ontwikkeld, is voor Donker Duyvis vanzelfsprekend onontkoombaar,
maar hij zoekt nadrukkelijk een verhouding met totaal andere
betekenismogelijkheden die hier worden veronachtzaamd,omdat ze de autonomie
van het beeld en de zelfstandige verantwoordelijkheid, zowel in ethische
als esthetische zin, van de kunstenaar zouden devalueren.
Paul Donker Duyvis gelooft daar helemaal niets van en is vooral op zoek
naar de maatschappelijk bindende betekenis die de visuele kwaliteit die
in de beeldende kunst wordt nagestreefd als ultieme potentie heeft.
Het gaat daarbij niet om westerse waarden als uniciteit,authenticiteit,
originaliteit en het ongrijpbare kwaliteit, maar om het begrip van de
betekenis die op velerlei niveaus wordt aangekaart.
Dit beeld van een kind dat in het water duikt, lijkt inwisselbaar voor
duizenden anderen soortgelijke foto-opnames. Behalve dat je moet zien
dat hier de tijd aan de gebeurtenis is ontnomen, dat in de lucht,
tussen wal en water, met de schaduw van het kind tussen zijn lichaam
en het water als oppervlakte in, de diepte van de sprong in het ongewisse
is gevangen. In niet westerse culturen worden ornamenten, symbolen,
patronen, kleurenschema’s, sjablonen en dergelijke in een eindeloze
herhaling gedurende de hele cultuurgeschiedenis opnieuw van betekenis
voorzien, door ze opnieuw te maken. De oude zijn niet betekenisvoller
dan de nieuwe, de oude hebben niet afgedaan, maar zijn door de nieuwe
bevestigd. Paul Donker Duyvis past het toe op zijn manier van kijken naar
het voorbijgaan van het leven, dat hij vangt in onbekommerde levenslust.
Kopje onder.
Copyright 2006: Alex de Vries . (21-5-2006 – Galeries.nl)
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Paul Donker Duyvis explores both the everyday life and the exotic.
He cherishes a more than mystical-sentimental view on the
Japanese lifestyle and the rituals of the historical culture.
(Paul Groot)
Melancholische portretten van Japanse vrouwen,
die herinneren aan de devote gezichten en
kostbare plooival van de schilderijen van
Jan van Eyck en Rogier van der Weyden.
(Karin Feenstra)
Paul Donker Duyvis maakte een prachtige video van een Japanse,
die in vertraagde bewegingen speelt met de haren in haar nek.
Op de achtergrond klinkt een traditioneel Japans lied.
De alledaagsheid van het beeld overstijgt de grens tussen West en Oost.
Paul Donker Duyvis made a beautiful video from the hand
of a Japanese woman playing with her hair in slow motion.
On the background a traditional song from Okinawa.
It surpasses the border between East and West
(Merel Bem – Volkskrant 2 augustus 2000)
Paul Donker Duyvis Photography 