As we travelled through the North Caucasus, wrestling was an excellent cover to move freely. Even when we were on our way to a harrowing human rights story, even when we visited a village that had rebelled against its own government, as soon as we were stopped wrestling was the magic word of reassurance. “Of course, wrestling!” And the stories followed. During our trip we also became hooked on the great sport. This Sketchbook charts our growing obsession.
Wrestling and the North Caucasus are inextricably linked. Not only is wrestling the most popular sport in the region, the North Caucasus is also the birthplace of many Olympic champions. They are honoured as heroes. Above all, wrestling as a tactical, brutal sport rich in traditions is a metaphor for the North Caucasus itself: a hospitable but violent region.
Thanks to: Familie Abdulaev Antoine Achten David K. Adams Jeroen Akkermans Johannes Amm Brechje Asselbergs Jessica Auer Inga Lara Baldvinsdottir Harry Barkema Saskia Barth Det Bazelmans Stefan Becker Rainer Berg Danielle van Berkel Joost M. Beunderman Saskia van Beveren Marc Bierings J.J.M. van de Bijl Michel Angelo Binsbergen Eefje Blankevoort Victor Blankevoort Jelle Bloem Kees Boef Roos Boer Maarten Boerma Kris Borgerink Maarten Boswijk Nicolaas Bot Els Bovenberg Allan Bovill Patrick Bras Jacco Brink
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Photography: © Rob Hornstra / INSTITUTE Courtesy Flatland Gallery NL | Paris Text: © Arnold van Bruggen, Prospektor Translation: Cecily Layzell Design: Kummer & Herrman, Utrecht Print: Drukkerij Slinger, Alkmaar
Life here is serious is the second publication in The Sochi Project Sketchbook Series.
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Corine van den Broek Marca van den Broek Gerard Broersen Steve Brown Anke van Bruggen Erik van Bruggen Janny and Popke van Bruggen Irma Bulkens Heleen Bulthuis Simon Burer Melchior Bussink Romelia Calin Stefan Canham Theo Captein Francesco Chiericoni David Christensen Chris Clement Toon de Clerck Joerg Colberg Giorgio Comai Joelle Cornuz L.J.A.D. Creyghton Benno van Daalen Nelson Daires Dieter Danzer Debras Debras Els Dekker Hans Dekker Martin Dixon Stichting Doel Zonder Naam Carola van Dongen de Boer Ivan Donovan Albert Doorenbos Marc Duponcel Thomas Dworzak Tom Dziomba Simone van Eik Anna Eikelboom Jan Pieter Ekker Frank van den Engel Leo Erken Peter Evans Nicole Ex Asselbergs Olivier Fierens Richard Fieten Jonas Fischer Judith Fischer Joeri Folman Markus Franke McKenzie Funk Esther Gaarlandt Francoise Gaarlandt Kist Thijs Gadiot FreeLens Galerie Dirk Gebhardt Marijke Geelen Borker Coen Geertsema Catharina Gerritsen
Bertus Gerssen Heidi de Gier Frits Gierstberg Jasper Gilijamse Mariette Glas Albers Jan Glerum Tino Glimmann Ingo Gotz Annemarie Graft Henk Greven Martijn Groeneveld Cocky de Groot Peter Guettler Anke van Haarlem Anne Haenni Arjan van Hal Ingrid Harms Gregory Harris Frans van Hasselt Maarten van Heems Mieke Heeringa Mark Henderson Hans Hendriks Marlene Herkemij Michael Hermse Arthur Herrman Marloes Hiethaar Paul ‘t Hoen Eva Hofman Emile Holba Bert van Hoogenhuyze Korrie Hopstaken Joop Hopster Joost and Joke Hornstra Luc Hornstra Maarten Hornstra Tom Hornstra Max Houghton Laurien ten Houten Elisabeth van ‘t Hull Vermaas Eelco van Hulsen Michiel Hulshof Fred Icke Lucia Janssen Tom Janssen Els Jekel Fred Jelsma Will Jenkins Cornelie de Jong Mayke Jongsma Antie and Jan Kaan Tomas Kaan Karijn Kakebeeke Felix Kalkman lizette van der Kamp Dolph Kessler Robin Klaassen Erik Klappe
Talmon Kochheim Ria Kock Derin Korman Meike Koster Ben Krewinkel Sybren Kuiper Jeroen Kummer Tom Lagerberg Margaret Lansink Rindert W. Leegsma Theo Willem van Leeuwen Alexandre Lefevre Percy B. Lehning Oscar Leker Andra Leurdijk Baptiste Lignel Geisje van der Linden Christine Lindo Emmy Lokin Piscaer Alma Loos Marijke Louppen Ron Louwerse Allard Luchsinger Menno Luitjes Celina Lunsford Femke M. Lutgerink Michael van Maanen Henrik M. Malmstrom Paul Malschaert Michael Mccraw C.F. van der Molen Gerda Mulder B.C.M. Neggers Simon Neggers Herbert Nelissen Dieter Neubert Floor Nicolas Pepijn Nicolas Pipo Nicolas Michiel Nijland Bram Nijssen Corinne Noordenbos Job Noordhof Katrien Otten Lodewijk van Paddenburgh Nell Pastors Douglas Penn Cock Pleijsier Rik Plomp Astrid Pollers Jeppe van Pruissen Ingvar Hogni Ragnarsson Rianne Randeraad Elsje van Ree Jukka Reverberi Wilfred Roelink Mike Roelofs Laura van Roessel Loek van Roessel
Johannes Romppanen Tijmen Rooseboom Lex van Rootselaar Pieter Roozenboom Jewgeni Roppel Jeanette van Rotterdam Rixt Runia Jacobien Rutgers Erik Ruts David Schalliol Hannah Schildt Marike Schipper Samuel Schliske Andreas Schoening Meindert Scholma Soeren Schuhmacher Gerrit Schurer Hannah Schwarzbach Roel Segerink Fabio Severo Patrick Sijben Iris Sikking Katja Sinnema Fransje Sjenitzer Bart Sleegers Robin Sluijs Joshua Smith Hans Snellen Frans Soeterbroek Milena Spaan Sander Spek Hans Stakelbeek Bonnie Steenman Conny Steenman Jolien Steenman Joop Steenman Lorette Steenman Anoek Steketee Kitty Steketee Truus Stevens Alain Stoeckli Philip Stroomberg Ton Sweep Marlies Swinkels Bjoern Theye Mirelle Thijsen Giovanni Toccafondi Jeroen Toirkens Reinier Treur Piero Turk Serge Van Cauwenbergh Jan Vandemoortele Anneke van Veen Christiaan van Veen Hanneke van Velzen Kirsten Verpaalen C.M.E. Versteeg Danny Veys Marieke Viergever
Medi (7) Khusein (7) Jabrail (8) Askhab (9) Beslan (9) Rasul (10) Rizvan (10) Salikh (11) Anzor (12) Umar (12) Ismail (12) Ragim (12) Magomed (13) Magomed (13) Radjab (13) Saikhan (13) Imran (14) Muslim (14) Ramazan (14) Abdulkadir (14) Abdulaziz (14) Omaraskhab (16) Rasul (16) Nazhmutdin (17) Shakhban (20) Usup (23) Gabib (25)
Special thanks to the wrestlers:
Dirk-Jan Visser Ellen Visser Henkjan van Vliet Elise Volker Jurryt van de Vooren Zelda de Vries Martijn de Waal Rob Wandelee Jerry van der Weert Rolf Weijburg Theijs van Welij Michael Wichita Pieter Bas van Wiechen Thomas Wiegand Thomas Wieland Friso Wiersum Yannik Willing Lars Willumeit Goof van de Winkel Jan Willem Wirtz Marieke ten Wolde Valentin Wormbs Lap Ming Yeung Iris van der Zee Antonia Zennaro Elza Zijlstra Damian Zimmermann