Birds of Paradise
Celebrating otherness, freedom, joy, and self-expression
Birds of Paradise is a project developed between 2021 and 2025, bringing together photography, video, publications and installation. The project grew out of The (handmade) Zine Project and culminated in a final exhibition under the same name.
Across different places and contexts, Birds of Paradise presents people who move through life with a strong sense of individuality, freedom and self-expression. The work brings together individuals who consciously take up space — through their bodies, their stories, their sexuality or their presence — without being reduced to a single label.
Each chapter of the project started from a different impulse. Some zines emerged from social urgency, such as addressing racism (A.S.I.A.) or documenting LGBTQ+ lives in challenging environments (The Warsaw SAGA). Others grew from personal fascination or close collaboration, focusing on intimacy, sensuality, vulnerability or play (Girls in Paris).
Rather than following one fixed method, Dekker allowed each project to find its own form. Trust, openness and improvisation play a central role, resulting in images that feel energetic and playful, sometimes quiet or confrontational, often balancing humour with vulnerability.
Text fragments appear throughout the project, offering glimpses into personal stories or external pressures without explaining the images or fixing their meaning.
As a whole, Birds of Paradise brings together four years of handmade publications and close encounters, marking the completion of a long-term exploration of visibility, autonomy and human connection.
Visitors are invited to step into the world of Birds of Paradise and leave with an Emotional Goodie Bag — a light-hearted but sincere reminder to carry openness, curiosity and generosity beyond the exhibition space.
