Nov 10, 2016 @ 11:35 CET

Dear Ivan,

In light of yesterday’s events, there is undoubtedly a lot to say. Where to begin. I’ve been silent for an entire day yesterday, thinking. I had hoped that the worldwide trend set in motion since several years would not manifest itself powerfully enough to actually overturn the 2016 US presidential election.

Yet, I had also resigned to the realisation that in that case, said reality would be completely ignored by the victor, only making matters worse for society in the long run. In conclusion, and in hindsight, it seems like this was the only possible wake up call left.

I do not know what to do with this wake up call. I have many ideas of course, but there are probably much smarter people who will do better things and make better decisions. In the end I do believe, even if this turns out to become a darker age – which I somehow doubt, but then again, who am I to judge – that whatever is happening is absolutely to society’s benefit in the long run. The pendulum swings.

My only fear is that political organisations are now re-making the same mistake they always have, frantically working to accurately describe this “new found demographic” (for lack of a better word), that they then can – at best – connect to, or – at worst – electorally exploit.

This “new demographic” will soon thought to be analysed and understood, the people quantified, and put into a box. A new definition will be found, cutting through the traditional lines of income, gender, race, sexual orientation, class and what not. The feeling of someone proclaiming they understand you, being the very reason for the uprising in the first place.

What if we would stop trying to categorise, for a little while.

I’m leaving for Amsterdam now. Visiting dear friends, and looking to purchase a bicycle with a good personality.

/// #image_by_image is an ongoing conversation between photographers Ivan Sigal and Anton Kusters. @ivansigal and @antonkusters on Instagram ///