Guide to Unique Photography

This is not – just – a photography book, this is a work of art. Consisting of a mixture of personal photography, narratives, poems, collages and letters, this book describes the photographers perception of the place he fell in love with: Cuba. Beyond History is a manifesto against all the stereotypical propaganda from the inside and the outside. It recounts the lives of young Cubans in Havana and is a stage for their voices before the end of the Castro dictatorship. A poetic documentary, more true than the ‘truth’ we know about Cuba.

In the Western world, the notion of ‘young at heart’ has for the last decades been emphatically separated from biological age. Following in the footsteps of the United States, people now celebrate life in a way that until recently was reserved for the young, the very wealthy and a handful of eccentrics. The photos taken by a Frenchman born at the end of the 19th century appear in retrospect to be a precursor of these developments.

David LaChapelle (Connecticut, 1969) is benevolent. Taking a stand against inaccessible contemporary art he believes there’s only one path to follow: the heart. He talks about what moves and inspires him and what made his ongoing project, The Rape of Africa, a reality.

Natascha Libbert (1973) is in the fortunate position of having to travel a great deal, as a result of which she can look at society with a cosmopolitan eye. She has been struck by the fact that people, wherever they are in the world, are bending things to their will, creating something for themselves, making their surroundings their own.

Jennifer Loeber (1973) was born and raised in New York and earned her BFA in Photography from Massachusetts College of Art in 1996. In 2007 she was awarded an Honourable Mention at the Prix de la Photographie in Paris.

Robbie Baauw, a.k.a. Bubba, is a guy but a guy with a good eye. He learned a few things from our friend and photographer Dennis Duijnhouwer, but freewheeled on alone predominantly by pointing his camera at his group of friends, the Million Dollar Kids. Not only do we think his photos are extremely energetic and fresh, the sheer quantity he has already taken is impressive.

Lauren Greenfield (1966, Boston) is an entity in documentary photography. Her unrivalled portfolio predominantly portrays youth culture. We asked her for her own interpretation of Young At Heart and she approached the theme in a way that was new to us.

Jessica Ingram (Tennessee, 1977) is multitalented. In addition to her art practice, she shot a video that made the Official Selection of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, is involved in community-based art programmes and teaches in various schools. The Hilltop High series shows her great desire to understand the choices people make. The photographs taken in this high school for teenage mothers illustrate their daily challenges. No stereotypes about teenage pregnancy survive here

Susana Raab’s (Lima, Peru 1968) talent has already been recognised on numerous occasions, including at the Lucie Awards and Photo-España. She always approaches her subjects with humour, which makes her photographs bright, spirited and modern yet timeless. We selected the photographs from Raab’s portfolio that we think represent being Young At Heart, such as the fascination with leisure and fast food, puppy love and exploring boundaries.