Corona Cancer Comfort - Paul Donker Duyvis

The Covid-19 outbreak was only a few months old when metastatic tumors in his bones were discovered in Paul Donker Duyvis. Immediately, three Muses (Models in Comfort Project) took care of him. They revealed themselves as Angels, Caretakers and Comforters.
Paul decided to use his illness as a vehicle for an undisguised and moving series of
self-portraits.
These photographs portray the distress, despair, pain , sorrow and comforting warm contact with the three women. In the eyes of the photographer, touch, caressing and the production of oxytocin (cuddle hormone) are underexposed in medical and terminal care. The moving series of raw black-and-white self-images constitutes a plea for the return of the loving healing touch so sorely missed by so many during the pandemic.

While undeniably portraying an intense disease process, the project shows hope, warmth, intimacy, security, comfort and a humane world without moralism, fear or false shame.
“Corona Cancer Comfort” is about hope, connection, bonding and letting go. Paul Donker Duyvis' latest project is a call to the world for the return of compassion and loving touch. A call for true connection and attention to
the fellow human being in need. During the exhibition there will also be a recording of an interview in which he himself talks about the project.

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It is an honor for me to continue to carry his message. To keep his work and his name alive. I have already been to Venice and Sarajevo for this and will travel to Tbilisi (Georgia) in August and to South Korea in October. Biel/Bienne in Switzerland is also on a roll. I promise to be back at ArtSpace to exhibit other facets of his work as well as I continue to sort out and classify. Paul had many sides and interests.
Anja Zwanenburg