IDFX

Posters of kickboxers at IDFX tell their own story

The atmosphere of the average landscape photograph is not the kind of thing that gets IDFX’s interest. They prefer to show art with a ‘sharp edge’. “And the photos from the book ‘Dutch Old School Kickboxing Icons’ have that”, explains Dorien Eggink of IDFX.

The book contains portraits of Dutch kickboxers, accompanied by short interviews. The ‘icons’ are not young boxers – almost all of them are in the 50+ age group. All the photos were edited by artist Arno Coenen. He made them into poster-like images, in the style of the old fight movies – think of the Bruce Lee film posters, for example. IDFX will be displaying the photo posters at its new location on the Markendaalseweg.

Photos with atmosphere

The book was Coenen's idea. The Breda photographer Jean-Michel van Braak took the photos, and Marinus de Ruiter did the interviews. When Breda Photo approached IDFX, the organisers went in search of photos with the IDFX ‘hallmark’. Dorien: “We like photos that radiate energy. If possible, they must also tell a story of their own. These photos do that – the studies of the boxers’ heads; the whole mood of the images. You don’t really need to read the interviews to know what you are looking at. We seek out the experimental; we like to deviate from the norm. Polished work – that’s not really our thing.”

Knock-out
Dorien doesn’t need to think for long about the link with TILT: “Knock-out is also a form of tilt, isn’t it?”
Eggink is pleased with the new premises in the centre. “The space we exhibited in last time was too far off the route. Visitor numbers were disappointing. Now that we’re in the centre, we’re more accessible. And I’m still hoping that we’ll be able to invite the boxers themselves to the opening. I think it would be great to see those tough men mixing with the festival visitors.”

IDFX
Markendaalseweg 36
Opening times

Monday to Sunday 10. am - 5. pm.

www.idfx.nl