The book ‘Etty Hillesum and the river IJssel’ by photographer/visual artist Wicher Naberman is part of the exhibition of the same name that has been shown in and around Deventer. Naberman combines his photos of the IJssel landscape with texts by holocaust victim Etty Hillesum. Etty Hillesum is known for the diaries she wrote in the years 1941-1942 and for her letters from Westerbork transit camp.
Philosophical and philosophical issues are the main topics in her work. In the diaries she recalls her walks along the IJssel and her cycling trips in the Deventer area, where she spent part of her childhood. She tells about her experiences of peace, spaciousness and freedom in the landscape. The descriptions of the IJssel landscape also play an important role in the reflections on her own inner self.
In the photos, the words of Etty Hillesum and the images of Naberman flow into each other and reinforce each other. The texts of Etty Hillesum make you look at the photos in a different, more contemplative way. In addition, the photos give an extra dimension to Etty Hillesum’s diary entries because the landscapes she describes become concretely visible.
The first copy of this book was presented on November 17, 2021 to Jan Terlouw, enjoyer of the IJssel landscape and admirer of the writings of Etty Hillesum. The book is published by Uitgeverij De Jonge Beth from Wijhe.
