It has been almost a year since Mark Rietveld (1969-2022) left us. Mark was pretty much the photographic chronicler of Antwerp's nocturnal underground. Whenever an exciting concert, a crazy art performance or a wild party was about to take place, you could count on Mark to be there; with a few cameras around his neck.
So the reaction to Mark's death was corresponding: within a few weeks, more than ten organisations from Antwerp's nightlife and cultural scene put together a beautiful memorial evening for Mark, with almost 40 acts and DJs. It was grand and unseen. "If only he could see this," was just about the most heard phrase that night.
But we had also promised a book with our big mouths. Some of us had been nagging Mark for that for years: a book with a nice selection of the photos Mark took in Antwerp and far and wide, of wild concerts and crazy parties, but also tranquil scenes of nature. And pictures of his cats, of course.
Usually, our whining was met with a monkishly shy "yeah". But look: meanwhile, we can say that that book will come. We are making it together with Stockmans Art Books and Nico Dockx. We would have loved to present that book - roughly A4 size and somewhere around 300 pages thick - at the 'For Mark' evening, which gets a second edition on 18 August at Stormkop, but unfortunately that won't happen: Mark has simply left behind too large a body of work.
So we are aiming for a publication in November this year. A book like this does not print itself, so we need buyers now. Anyone who wants to support the realisation of the book can already sign up for a copy now, at 50,00 euros. The more people subscribe, the more beautiful we can make the book. Here's how it goes:
Those who like to support more can buy a book plus a print (on Mark's beloved baryta paper) for 101,00 euros: a black-and-white photo from Mark's rich archive, printed (in the same format as the book) by a small club of photographer friends.
So we won't be able to give you a book to take home on 18 August, but those who sign up before that date (or on the day itself) will have an 'exclusive aperitif' to take home a few pages of Mark's work in advance.
News about 18 August will follow soon.
boek.markrietveld.be
markrietveld.be
If you would like to collect Mark's book at the launch, we will refund you by paying shipment costs back or offer you some drink coupons.
