What does the ideal capital look like? Photographer Nick Hannes traveled to six countries - Egypt, Korea, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and Brazil - that have recently built a new capital or are in the process of doing so. Each and every one of them is a typical example of what Rem Koolhaas calls the Generic City: a planned city without historical layers, local identity, or its own character. As a visual sociologist with a sharp eye for detail, Hannes searches for the human dimension in a setting full of spectacular architecture and pompous prestige projects. New Capital is a critical reflection on unbridled neoliberal urban development and its social and ecological consequences, but is also peppered with subtle humor and surprising coincidences. Meandering between pride and sadness, New Capital shows how utopia and dystopia are sometimes surprisingly close.

AUTEUR	Nick Hannes
TITEL	New Capital
UITVOERING	Hardcover
PAGINA'S	208

Nick Hannes (°1974) studied photography at the KASK in Ghent. With a blend of subtle humor, irony, and visual metaphors, he focuses on major societal themes such as migration, urbanization, and globalization. He has had solo exhibitions in venues including the FoMu, De Garage, and numerous international photo festivals. He received the Zeiss Photography Award in 2017, the Magnum Photography Award in 2018, and a World Press Photo Award in 2023. Since 2008, Nick has been teaching documentary photography at the KASK.

New Capital - Nick Hannes