The Louisiana Book

Book excerpt: Rineke Dijkstra (b. 1959) is one of the most prominent and internationally acclaimed artists working within the genre of photography and video portraiture. Her large-scale photographs show a rare sense of humanity, empathy and intimacy without any trace of sentimentality or indiscretion. Dijkstra typically captures her subjects at moments of transition or vulnerability, thus focusing on the thematics of identity. Though absolutely modern, even timeless, her portraiture brings to mind the great masters of the Golden Age of Dutch art. 'I try to capture something of the personality of these people,' Rineke Dijkstra explains, 'but at the same time extract something universal relating to humanity in general. There has to be enough space to make your own stories; to interpret a picture the way you want.'