Miriam Donkers

Miriam Donkers (the Netherlands,

1985) studied photography at Rotterdam’s

Graphic Lyceum and then at AKV|St.Joost

in Breda. She had training placements

with Hans Oostrum Photography and with

press photographer Joost van den Broek.

Her photos have been published by Dutch

photo agency Hollandse Hoogte and Dutch

newspaper nrc.next, and she has exhibited

at the Kunstschouw 2009 Exhibition. In

her work AMO Donkers presents a portrait

of her brother Paul, who has signed up for

General Military Training. With deployment

to Afghanistan a real prospect, he is

being trained to be a soldier. Often it seems

that he is not quite ready to take on such a

task, but Donkers’ photos show him gradually

changing: transforming from a boy

and a brother into a man, until ultimately

he becomes a soldier fully able to bear his

weighty responsibilities.