Zillion
Thomas Manneke
Zillion is already the seventh book by Thomas Manneke (born 1970), a Dutch photographer living in Amsterdam. He has mainly focused on producing photobooks. In 2005 Vilnius appeared, followed by Odessa in 2007 and Liège in 2010. These books are personal portraits of these cities. In 2016 Amsterdam, Manneke’s hometown, was the subject of his fourth city book and fifth photobook. Inbetween he made, in 2008, Het is Later: portraits of residents of a nursing home.
In 2020 Mutatio was published. This time no portrait of a city and his inhabitants. But a more personal book that shows the experiences of the photographer himself. After a favorable review in a Dutch national newspaper, the book quickly sold out. Zillion is made in the same vein. Photos in the book depict daily observations, stills of found items, and objects made by Thomas Manneke or his daughter Laurie.
The photographs in Zillion were made between 2020 and 2023. And most photographs in this book were made in colloboration with his daughter. The depicted objects in this book were made especially to photograph them. Some were made by Thomas, others were made by Laurie. Sometimes they were inspired by found objects, like a small grey stone with whimsical white lines or by a web created by caterpillars. Some objects were inspired by artworks from the past by artists like Josef Albers and Francis Bruguière.
Zillion shows the fun of creating things together while getting inspired by the world around us. Like the title, the photos are mystical, joyful and made with intrigue and delight.
Zillion
Photographer: Thomas Manneke
Published by Van Zoetendaal Publishers
Published in 2024
Hardbound with dust cover, 30 x 24 cm, 112 pages,
54 black & white photos