Kadir Van Lohuizen

Mirroring the progress of the diamond from the mines of Africa to the world of fashion, Diamond Matters records the lifespan of the world`s most precious stone.

Starting with the mineworkers–many just children–photographer Kadir van Lohuizen tracks the sparkling ice on its socially upward journey. With interviews from the industry, from those digging it from hillsides with bare hands and picks to dealers to wearers of gems, it is a beautiful yet deeply disturbing and thought-provoking book. Van Lohuizen covered the 1990s fighting in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), Sierra Leone, and Angola, conflicts dismissed as tribal wars or the final convulsions of the Cold War. By degrees these conflicts turned into struggles over diamond deposits, largely controlled by the Angolan and Sierra Leonean rebels, which were used to buy weapons. Governments then became players, and the terms “blood diamond” and “conflict diamond” were born. In time, pressure grew to create a certification system guaranteeing that only conflict-free diamonds came on the market.

Worried by the threat to its image, the diamond industry bowed to public opinion and negotiated with the various regulatory authorities. In 2002, the Kimberley Agreement, signed by a large number of the exporting and importing countries, reduced smuggling and added more transparency. Today these countries are mostly at peace, and officially rebel movements no longer play a role in diamond exploitation. Yet working conditions in these same countries remain appalling and little of the enormous profits flow back to the people. A fair trade agreement with profits for diamonds shared by all in the industry and workers’ rights protected is needed, Van Lohuizen concludes.

Bound in luxurious suede, and with a small diamond on the front cover, elegantly printed in tritone on 3 different papers (from rough to glossy, mirroring the evolution of raw diamonds to their apogee as Bond Street tiaras) Diamond Matters is an explosive idea in a bejewelled package.

About the Author:

Dutch-born Van Lohuizen is the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including a 1995 grant from the Anna Cornelis Foundation, 1997 grants from the city council of Amsterdam, Zilveren Camera Award (1997), World Press Photo (1997), Foundation Vluchteling, Dick Scherpenzeel prize (2000), 2001 grant from the Foundation for the Arts, Design, and Architecture: and from the French Ministry for Culture and Communications (2005), Prize for Investigative journalism (2005) and the Visa Díor magazine award (2005).

He is the author of five books, and numerous exhibitions including De Balie, Amsterdam, Israel (1989), Canon Image Centre, Amsterdam (1992), USVA photo gallery, Groningen (1992), Photo gallery Popular, Rotterdam (1992), Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (1993), Photo gallery Kleine Klup (1993), City Hall, Amsterdam (1994), Oog van Hoorn, Hoorn (1994), City Council archives, Amsterdam (1995), Amsterdam Historical Museum (1997), Photo festival Naarden, (1997), World Press Photo exhibition (1998), Dutch Photo Institute, Rotterdam (1999), 21/2-41/2, Amsterdam (1999), Hamilton`s, London (1996), Visa pour L`image, Perpignan (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000), India International Centre, New Delhi (2000), Photo festival Naarden (2001), Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (2002), FNAC, Paris (2002), Dutch Photo Institute, (2003), St. Petersburg (2003), Photo festival Skopelos (2003), Institut Neerlandais (2003), Kunsthal, Rotterdam (2003), Technical University, Eindhoven (2005), FOAM, Amsterdam, DR Congo, Sierra Leone and Angola (2005), Visa pour L’image, 2006, Moving Walls/ the Open Society Institute, New York, (2006).

Hardcover: $29 USD
6.2″ x 5″ / 240 pages
October 2007
ISBN: 978-1-8841677-06
Website price: $10

About the Exhibition:

Mirroring the progress of the diamond from the mines of Africa to the world of fashion, DIAMOND MATTERS records the lifespan of the world’s most precious stone. Starting with the mineworkers—many just children—photographer Kadir van Lohuizen tracks the sparkling ice on its socially upward journey. With interviews from the industry, from those digging it from hillsides with bare hands, to dealers, cutters, and wearers of gems, it is a beautiful, yet deeply disturbing, book.

Van Lohuizen covered the 1990s’ fighting in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), Sierra Leone, and Angola, conflicts dismissed as tribal wars or the final convulsions of the Cold War. By degrees these conflicts turned into struggles over diamond deposits, largely controlled by the Angolan and Sierra Leonean rebels, which were used to buy weapons. Governments then became players, and the terms “blood diamond” and “conflict diamond ”were born. In time, pressure grew to create a certification system guaranteeing that only conflict-free diamonds came on the market. Worried by the threat to its image, the diamond industry bowed to public opinion and negotiated with the various regulatory authorities. In 2002, the Kimberley Agreement, signed by a large number of the exporting and importing countries, reduced smuggling and added more transparency. Today these countries are mostly at peace, and officially rebel movements no longer play a role in diamond exploitation. Yet working conditions remain appalling and a fair trade agreement is needed.

Bound in luxurious suede, and with a small diamond on the front cover, elegantly printed in tritone on 3 different papers (from rough to glossy, mirroring the evolution of raw diamonds to their apogee as Bond Street tiaras) Diamond Matters is an explosive idea in a bejeweled package.

- 6-8 week bookings
Total 102 items to occupy 225 linear feet:
- 27 gelatin-silver prints at 25 x 16.75in. matted with a 4-ply archival board
- 12 gelatin-silver prints at 21 x 13.75in .matted with a 4-ply archival board
- 11 gelatin-silver prints at 37.75 x 25in. matted with a 4-ply archival board
- 9 gelatin-silver prints at 40 x 14.5in. matted with a 4-ply archival board
- 9 gelatin-silver prints at 4.75 x 3.5in. matted with a 4-ply archival board
- 18 gelatin-silver prints at 6×6 in. matted with a 4-ply archival board
- 14 caption panels: 12 @ 25 x 25in. 1@39 x 59in. 1@12 x 8in.
- Crates: 4 Total (500 lbs.) 1@ 26 x 22 x 34 in. 1 @ 30 x 30 x 34 in. 1 @ 34x2x24in. 1 @ 51x2x42in.

- Fee:$5,900 plus prorated one-way shipping and insurance
- Artist available for panels and lectures
-15 free copies of catalog / publication Diamond Matters included with each booking

Download the press release (PDF)