c l a u d i - k e s s e l s

Claudi Kessels

In Amsterdam each year approximately 220 people die for whom nobody can or will take responsibility for the funeral. A special institute (BUG) in this city takes care that these deceased have a proper funeral. People from this institute visit the houses of the deceased to look for clues to arrange this. Sometimes there is a will, or documents saying where family or relatives are burried, sometimes they find music which can be played during the service. All the possessions of the deceased are valuated and when profitable auctioned but mostly the goods are burned.

The work Meneer G / Mr. G is done in collaboration with Carolin Reichert. We went along on a few house visits done by the Amsterdam city council service called BUG. In order to commemorate one of the anonymous deceased Carolin Reichert and I made this series of still lives.

the still lives are build up from photographs taken in 'Mr. G's' house

the composition of a traditional still life is used: a triangular composition, dark background, elements tipping over the edge of the table

symbolic references often used in traditional still lives or 'vanitas' such as flowers, a fallen bottle or 'clocks' are echoed in these pictures

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Meneer G / Mr. G