It’s a predicament that’s arty at its epicentre! What does one do when arrested by cops for photographing in abandoned corners and private estates? Surely not what Dan Oude Efferink did! Dan photographed even more. The gripping story behind the life of Dutch photographer Dan Oude Efferink is both endearing and admirable.
The acclaimed photographer is in the city to exhibit at the Art Bengaluru art conclave. What sets Dan apart from the rest of his contemporaries is that Dan often goes in search of the most unexplored and abandoned places for that perfect shot.
According to Dan, he has gone down sewers, scaled walls which were next to impossible, defied logic and has been to places with rumoured paranormal activity too. His journey is a fitting story for any blockbuster movie. Daan Oude Elferink channels one simple ideology through his work — “Decay ignites the imagination.”
He describes how one can see how, over the passage of time, nature runs its course and takes over the grand buildings he captures in his pictures. The viewer is presented with these buildings and their secrets as they crumble and decay over years.
He hopes to take us into the world behind “no entry” signs and locked doors, offering a glimpse of a beautiful, forbidden world of decay.
Dan’s work has been actively showcased across the world since 2011, including various parts of Europe, USA, UAE, India and China. His work has been exhibited at many major galleries in Moscow, Madrid, Edinburg, Zurich, Copenhagen, Paris, Stockholm, New York and more.
Speaking about his experience as a photographer, and about his stay in Bengaluru, Dan reveals, “I have throughly enjoyed my journey. I have faced the craziest of circumstances in my quest towards the perfect picture. I have been chased by dogs, there was an instance when cops pointed a gun to my head but it was all worth it. I have travelled extensively across the globe — Belgium and almost the entire Europe, and have found amazing places to shoot. I have also hung myself upside down for the perfect shot. I am very impressed with the response and love I have received from Bengaluru. Many were very keen to know my story and the media is very open to new concepts. I intend to come back soon,” he signs off.
Dan’s phenomenal photographs are breathtaking and his passion towards photography is second to none. His works are on display at the Art Bengaluru till August 28.
— The writer is an art curator and art expert
