ilja keizer photography

‘INGET / I MITT HUVUD ALLT’ is the latest book by Dutch photographer Ilja Keizer.

While Ilja is mostly known for his raw portrait photography, this new publication shows a personal journey build solely out of photos made in the beautiful rural landscapes of Skåne County, Southern Sweden. Hence the Swedish title which translates as ‘NOTHING / IN MY HEAD EVERYTHING.’

Through serene images and intimate handwritten notes, a dear place is unveiled, an emotional sanctuary in the middle of nature. Deeply cherished and devoid of triggers, offering solace and calmness instead.

The pages show forests, tranquil waters, there’s even cows and chickens popping up, the occasional oldtimer, of course it’s a Volvo. Favorite things, imaginary things, a pack of lions? No questions asked, nothing to fear, and almost nothing unexpectedly moves.

Making the book, curating the pictures and texts helped to discover and strengthen coping mechanisms. It helped to manage thoughts and memories, good as well as bad ones, making the good ones more clear, even better. A ‘safe space in images,’ while the heaviest of storms are all around.

‘I know this place from my earliest childhood, 

I know this place from recent times. 

It’s so dear.

It does have fucking storms though, 

but I don’t really care because they 

don’t bring the pain. 

The storms bring the golden sweet memories. 

They bring sandy spicy almost perfect pizza 

on my favorite beach. They bring the best sunsets ever. 

All yellow purple pink red shiny everything. 

Tons of ‘best evers.’ And she’s there.’

I’m okay’

(fragment of the intro of the book)

17 x 24 cm. 56 pages. Signed.

Includes various inserts and handwritten notes.

Black linen cover with gold foil on front cover, spine and back cover.

ISBN 9789-090-378-56-5

Published in 2023, printed and bound in the Netherlands.