Week 19

This week’s images are from Carnival in Maastricht. I cannot help myself and begin with publishing a series of out of focus or moving images. I like such images as they trigger a process of projection (imagination) in the viewer.

I took about 500 photos and filmed only 4 hours as my video camera died half way through. I was lucky to film 'Prince Carnival' on numerous occasions before the camera died. I came specifically to film him because I am researching the king archetype. Prince carnival plays the symbolic role of a prince (king), as the ‘mock' prince of the city during the festivities. This research is for a video documentary I am currently working on.

Video still: Maastricht Carnival

26/2 Monday
All is well, but no observation, still away.
-The last time I celebrated carnival in Maastricht was 20 years ago. I had a great time then. This time was no different. In fact I thought that the celebrations had grown in strength.

Video still: Maastricht Carnival

27/2 Tuesday
All is well, bridge still standing.
- The weather was much warmer than average making the outdoor celebrations at night a joy as I did not feel cold at all. The number of Dutch style brass bands and Brazilian style batucada bands playing every day in the streets had increased.

Video still: Maastricht Carnival

28/2 Wednesday
All is well, bridge still standing.
- At night I guess 99.9% of the people celebrating were fully costumed in the most amazing homemade outfits with often matching painted faces.

Video still: Maastricht Carnival

1/3 Thursday
All is well, bridge still standing.
- Many more people carried out ‘acts’ or played roles for the 3 days, making the streets a simple but fun theatre.

Video still: Maastricht Carnival

2/3 Friday
All is well, bridge still standing.
- What was rather new compared to 20 years ago that many people had decorated and fabricated carts of all sorts that were related to whatever they were expressing and dragged them every night through the crowded streets without any problem.

Video still: Maastricht Carnival

3/3 Saturday
All is well, bridge still standing.
-The weather was so unseasonably warm that one could stay outdoors all night without getting cold. It is the outdoor carnival that is so wonderfully unique in Maastricht.

Video still: Maastricht Carnival

4/3 Sunday
All is well, bridge still standing.
-It all starts on Sunday around midday and ends on Tuesday exactly at midnight, as that is when Lent officially starts.

For more images and text click here to go to my personal blog and look for the post titled 'Joy' (posted 7 March).