Johan Van Der Keuken – Les Copains

Johan van der Keuken’s career as a documentary film-maker, author, and photographer spanned four decades, until his passing in 2001. Based in Amsterdam, he addressed many topics in his work. First published in 1955, ‘Wij Zijn 17’ is a book of photos of his friends and classmates, taken by him when he was seventeen. These portraits of post-war Dutch teenagers address the intangible theme of youth in a touching and personal way. On the occasion of the publication of a Japanese edition of the book, ‘Les Copains’ is also reprinted, which contains prints of the uncropped negatives used in the other book, thereby offering a broader view of his subjects and setting.