Frederick Linck. Photos of The Hague in the 1970s

About the exhibition

The photography of Frederick Linck ( 1942-2020) show the decay of the city centre of The Hague in the 1970s, and of a world on the verge of disappearing. He records the demolition of the dilapidated old city. People in particular have his attention. In melancholy and disarming portraits he captures his neighbours: from the homeless persons and caravan dwellers to local lads and shopkeepers. Linck also finds his inspiration outside the city centre in the 'people’s' The Hague - he makes various photo series on the Haagse Markt and the yearly fair on the Malieveld.

Fredrick Lick's photos show a unique era: a decade of neglect and demolition, but also of the many people who stayed or found a new home in this rough neighbourhood. Partly due to protests from local residents, the policy of the municipality changed. In the 1980s, the demolition of the city centre was halted by action groups and a left-wing college.

Donation

The reason for this exhibition is the donation of more than 150 photographs from the estate of Frederick Linck. A selection from this donation is supplemented in the exhibition with stories from local residents who knew him. These photos from the 1970s are a welcome addition to the (documentary) photography collection of the Hague Historical Museum and provide a unique portrait of bygone The Hague.