Artist Talk with Deanna Dikeman
A conversation with Ernest van der Kwast about her photographic series ‘Leaving and Waving’
In the All Directions exhibition, they discuss family, memories and the passage of time. Together, they explore how an everyday farewell ritual grew into a remarkable photographic series and how photography can help us cope with absence, loss and saying goodbye.
In conversation about family memories
Writer and interviewer Ernest van der Kwast talks to Deanna Dikeman about the 27 years during which she photographed her parents. Together, they look at the changes visible in the images and the role photography can play in preserving memories.
About Leaving and Waving
After every visit to her parents in Sioux City, Iowa, Dikeman photographed them from the car as they waved goodbye. What began in 1991 as a quick photograph to ease the sadness of leaving grew into a ritual that lasted 27 years.
The images change over the years. A dog appears, followed later by a baby, and her father begins to use a walking stick. After her father dies, her mother continues to wave goodbye. The series ends with a photograph of the empty driveway. Through small changes, Leaving and Waving shows the passage of time and the transformation of a family.
Leaving and Waving, 1991-2017. Deanna Dikeman (United States, 1954)
Through Dikeman’s eyes
Experience the story behind Leaving and Waving through the eyes of Deanna Dikeman. Surrounded by the photographs, she talks to Ernest van der Kwast about the stories behind the series.
You can join the talk with a museum ticket. Places are limited and reservations are not possible. Arrive early to make sure you get a seat.
About Deanna Dikeman
Deanna Dikeman is an American photographer based in Kansas City. Since the mid-1980s, she has documented her family and everyday life in the American Midwest. Her photobook Leaving and Waving received the Prix Nadar in 2021, and she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2023. The photographic series is on display in the All Directions exhibition at Fenix.
About Ernest van der Kwast
Ernest van der Kwast is a writer, presenter, interviewer and programme maker. His books include Mama Tandoori and the international bestseller The Ice-Cream Makers. He also talks to writers and artists from the Netherlands and abroad about their work and inspiration.