PrijzenCircus

“PriceCircus”

A fashionably dressed mannequin wearing a black hat and scarf sits at a white, modern counter with a coffee cup and saucer. A large flower in a vase is placed in front of the mannequin. The spacious room has large windows and a bright skylight above.

An empty retail store features a long checkout counter with "kassa" signs above. The room is brightly lit with minimalist decor, including a bench in the forefront and a mannequin dressed in blue near the center. A tree design decorates the wall behind the counter.

A person wearing a hat and carrying a bag stands at the bottom of a small set of stairs next to an elevator with caution tape. The hallway is lit with fluorescent lights and has industrial elements like pipes and a metal railing.

A modern, well-lit store interior with a mannequin dressed in a stylish outfit on the left. The mannequin is adorned with accessories like scarves and a hat. In the background, there is a tree design on the wall near the checkout counter. The floor is light wood.

A modern art gallery with a mannequin dressed in a black coat, hat, and scarf positioned next to a display shelf on the left. The gallery features white walls and a grid-patterned ceiling. An escalator leads to a lower level, and various artworks are visible in the background.

A mannequin dressed in casual clothing and a hat stands near a wall adorned with a black tree illustration. A kiosk and scale are positioned nearby. To the right, an open doorway leads to a restroom. In the foreground, a table with a pink checkered cloth and a chair.

A spacious room with a wooden floor and ceiling lights illuminating the area. There is a mannequin dressed in casual clothing and a hat, standing on a black crate. A large tree decal and the words “Stop right at zal” are visible on the back wall near a reception desk.

A person wearing a headscarf and hat descends an escalator in an indoor setting, possibly a mall or a public building. The view captures the escalator from above with a parallel non-operating escalator to the right. Walls and lights are visible in the background.

A fitting room area in a store with multiple booth-style rooms. The rooms have mirrors and black curtains for privacy. Two people are visible in the background, inside a fitting room. The partially visible sign above reads "paskamer.

A figure, possibly a mannequin, is dressed in casual attire and a hat, standing near empty shelves in a well-lit, minimalist, open space. Stairs on the left lead to an upper level. An exit sign is visible on the ceiling near the top of the stairs.

About this project

This conceptual series is an ode to the V&D department store, considered the first warehouse in the Netherlands. The series “PrijzenCircus” is a photo story that follows Veronique Doornzon through all the departments of V&D as she tells her story.

“Veronique Doornzon is a stylishly dressed middle-aged lady who loved shopping at V&D, or as she preferred to call it, ‘Dreesman.’ It made her happy. She was once married to a rather dull man, but he earned well. Unfortunately, in a cliché turn of events, he left her for a younger woman. Every month, she still receives a substantial alimony from her ex-husband. She made sure of that! She shopped exclusively at V&D because it felt like home to her. The clothes just fit her well. And that mysterious man who worked there? She found him quite interesting. But unfortunately, he wasn’t much of a talker.”

History of V&D

As early as 1887, Willem Vroom and Anton Dreesmann joined forces to advance together. In 1912, this collaboration led to the establishment of the first Vroom and Dreesmann (V&D) department store on Kalverstraat in Amsterdam. In 2015, the chain went bankrupt, and in 2016, the last department store closed its doors.

The closhing exhibition

The exhibition ran as a route through the old V&D building in Alkmaar (Netherlands). Unfortunately, there are no photos of the exhibition itself anymore, but you can see the entrance in the photo’s, as well as the announcement poster and a small impressions of the set. For the storyline and execution of the entire project, the brothers “Akkerman” joined forces and created an entertaining series.

This series came together in a very short time, with Rick Akkerman’s photography and Davy Akkerman’s expertise as an artist and spatial designer being essential.

Facts:

2016 | V&D Building | Alkmaar, Netherlands | Visitors Approx. 10.000

This project was made possible by:

Rick Akkerman | Art-Director Davy Akkerman

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