Touch. Peter Dekens.

Touch. Peter Dekens. (Belgium)

Photographs by Peter Dekens

Concept, photography, text and editing by Peter Dekens
Design by Rob van Hoesel
Printed by NPN drukkers

Published by The Eriskay Connections, 2012.

[Purchase: The Eriskay Connections]

How do you tell a story of a blind person? Peter Dekens is a Belgium documentary photographer, with a strong interest in social issues. His latest book Touch is a story of a young man Stijn who was born blind. Dekens spent time with Stijn in his apartment, discovering and documenting his world. The apartment is the only place where Stijn can move so freely. Everything - table, bed, walls, sofa - helps him to navigate around and constitutes his territory. “He knows this space inside out. It may be small and limited, but Stijn is not. In fact it’s quite the opposite”. While light/dark doesn’t make difference to him, it is tactile sensation - touch - that guides Stijn’s world.

Touch is a beautiful photobook. It is designed in a form of accordion which also helps to tell the story. Powerful work, excellent picture editing, interesting design, gorgeous book, and it smells fantastic!