ilja keizer photography

Vicky / Fucking Glad I Met You, is a personal and raw collection of portraits and
mobile phone snapshots shot in the summer of 2020 by Dutch photographer Ilja Keizer.

While the photographer is mostly known for his portrait work,
this book has a much more personal, documentary style approach.
With shooting just starting spontaneously after meeting Vicky on an awfully hot day,
in a small rural town in the East of the Netherlands.

Vicky told me ‘she’s a survivor.’
I said ‘she’s a warrior’.

‘Immediately impressed by Vicky’s fucking powerful and raw personality,
her sincere honesty, and the intimate bond we developed in the blink of an eye,’
I decided to make a book about our time, and to dedicate it to her.

The images were made during a super intense time, a great mental and physical journey
that led us around Europe in a little over 3 months,
with our trip ending in a tiny Polish village on the beautiful countryside just outside
of Warsaw where Vicky lives.

We spent nonstop time together in these months, in magical peaceful nature,
surrounded by billions of cicadas, smoking, watching the stars fall down.
In Berlin, ‘they all look like rockstars,’ with the leaves turning all kinds of yellow.
On the road, Pop Smoke on the soundsystem, Patti Smith, Cardi B, the Smiths,
every song fitting a mood.

Times were as beautiful, as they were hard. Feelings went everywhere,
feelings of anxiety as well as endless joy.

Thoughts about the past… The hurts, wishes and expectations of present and future times.

The result is a highly personal document, including a signed print and various inserts.

Designed by Nouchka Huijg, creative director at design studio alt8.

- 96 pages / English / linen hardcover / 180x245x15 mm

- inserts: McDonald’s Warsaw receipt / photostrip from instant photomachine @ St. Pauli Hamburg

/ contact form from restaurant 26 Shibuya in Berlin / a personal note

- Spotify playlist