Human Playground: Why We Play

(Hardback)

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Why do we play games That is the question Belgian photographer Hannelore Vandenbussche decided to explore, travelling to numerous countries to roam the world of sports, passion, athletic competition, transition, and emancipation. The athletes she portrays keep old traditions alive or carve out new territory, perform rituals, and celebrate with boisterous parties centred around their games. Meet Buzkashi players astride their horses in Afghanistan, Donga stick fighters in Ethiopia, rugby players in the UK, wrestlers in Bolivia, and many other athletes in these unusual sports. These unique photographs capture athletes from both indigenous cultures in remote parts of the globe and from familiar, Western cultures. They poignantly convey how old traditions are kept alive and new ones are carved out, how rites of passage, ritual, and celebration are all part of the culture of play. Organised thematically in six sections, this book showcases 22 sports from places as far-flung as Mongolia and Madagascar, from jockeys in Dubai to land divers in Vanuatu.This extraordinary book of photographs is dedicated to a subject that is being presented in an entirely new way. Text in English, German and Dutch. AUTHOR: Born in Chile and raised in Belgium, Hannelore Vandenbussche is a photographer and creative entrepreneur, but first and foremost, she is a storyteller. In 2009, after graduating with a degree in photography, she spent nearly three years travelling around the world with Jimmy Nelson for his project Before They Pass Away (teNeues 2014). Together, they photographed the world's last remaining indigenous tribes for the book, which became a bestseller worldwide. Hannelore documented their epic journey in her book Before They Pass Away: the stories behind the photos. Her book became a bestseller in the Netherlands, is currently in its third edition, and was recently published in English. During her adventurous travels, Hannelore was inspired by the different types of sports and games she saw around the world, which led to her most ambitious project to date: Human Playground. SELLING POINTS: . A spectacular book of photographs of sports and games, rituals and traditions . A major streaming service will broadcast a six-part series accompanying the book in May/June 2022, narrated by the well-known actor Idris Elba . Little-known sports from around the world are introduced to a broader public for the first time . A book of photographs in the tradition of Jimmy Nelson's bestseller Before They Pass Away 220 colour illustrations

Reviews

Idris Elba Says New Sports Show 'Human Playground' Changed His Idea of 'What Human Beings Can Do' - People
"By taking a look at themes which span the globe, such as ancient rituals, rites of passage, business, pain, perfection and sacredness, this is a book which manages to encompass what it is to be human." - Amateur Photographer
"Channel your inner child and remember how it feels to exert yourself just for the thrill of it." - National Geographic Traveller
"The sheer variety of exhilarating activities presented in this volumeis astounding." - Aesthetica Magazine
"A visual extravaganza." - New York Times
"While modernisation poses a threat to many of these ancient sports, Hannelore presents them in a way that captures their vitality, and her photography is as energetic as the sports it depicts. Each frame launches us into the heart of the action." - WhyNow
"The book is a celebration of sports and games, and the culture of play around the world." - Robb Report Singapore
"Making the best photographs of a sport in action meant forming bonds with her subjects and sometimes diving into the mix herself." - Professional Photographer

Author Bio

Born in Chile and raised in Belgium, Hannelore Vandenbussche is a photographer and creative entrepreneur, but first and foremost, she is a storyteller. In 2009, after graduating with a degree in photography, she spent nearly three years travelling around the world with Jimmy Nelson for his project Before They Pass Away (teNeues 2014). Together, they photographed the worlds last remaining indigenous tribes for the book, which became a bestseller worldwide. Hannelore documented their epic journey in her book Before They Pass Away: the stories behind the photos. Her book became a bestseller in the Netherlands, is currently in its third edition, and was recently published in English. During her adventurous travels, Hannelore was inspired by the different types of sports and games she saw around the world, which led to her most ambitious project to date: Human Playground.