Down By The River

In her project Down by the River, photographer Sarah van Wingerden revisits her hometown of Sliedrecht, located in a region heavily affected by PFAS pollution from nearby chemical production. The subtitle ‘It’s in our blood’ captures the urgency of this invisible contamination of water and soil, which is made manifest through empty glasshouses, ‘no swimming’ signs, and local protests.

Nevertheless, as she revisits her childhood memories—swimming, boating, and eating fruit from the garden—she observes how everyday life in the town continues, even as chemicals accumulate within the body and the environment.

Over several months, we collaborated on a publication that combines personal photographs and archival material with new images and texts addressing this unseen threat. Presented in a leporello format, the river is reimagined as a continuous narrative, capturing moments in a landscape that, on the surface, appears unchanged.

The book is also on display in the exhibition at Kunstkerk Dordrecht, opening April 2026.