Berber Theunissen – Banana Sunbeams
We were home. Just the three of us, without distractions, without obligations. Our old RV taking us places – breathtaking, indescribable, almost unfathomable. Waking up to the sounds of nature, the morning sun warming our skin, the little hands searching for me. The crinkled sheets, the shadows of the dessert softly dancing on the curtains, falling asleep to the sound of coyotes howling at the moon. The calmth, the love, our ever lasting bond.
It was painfully beautiful. My heart aching as I looked at them, my husband, our son – the love for them, equal, but different. Overwhelming, invincible. My heart breaking in a thousand little pieces, perfectly aware that it would never be like this again. That it would all be gone, disappear, as soon as we entered that plane. Desperately holding onto the feeling, the overwhelming happiness, the love and warmth rushing through my veins 24/7. Living in the moment, capturing it all – for it will all be a faded memory one day.
We were so happy. So ridiculously happy.
Berber Theunissen graduated cum laude from Fotoacademie, Amsterdam, in 2013. Working exclusively in medium format, Theunissen’s work revolves around issues of femininity and early motherhood. In projects documenting the incredibly strong bonds between her partner and herself as they look to navigate the intense heartbreak of a miscarriage, and capturing beautifully intimate investigations into the imperfections of the human form, Theunissen’s work offers an incredibly honest account of what it means to be a young mother. Berber is represented by Open Doors Gallery in London.