misha de ridder was entrusted with the key to oude kerk in amsterdam allowing him day and night access to all areas of the church

The work of Misha de Ridder in 'Falaise', which consists of abstractions of the chalky cliff face in Normandy, France, harnesses the revelatory power of photography to capture the continuous metamorphosis of the cliffs. Once a celebrated holiday destination, where Monet is believed to have developed Impressionism, the area has become forgotten as it is encroached upon by the sea, which is gradually swallowing its surroundings.

Sometimes natural phenomena can become so estranged and mysterious, that we are inclined to describe them as unreal realities. It might be the extraordinary shape of a tree, a mountain, a shadow, a cloud or the mirroring reflection of nature in a lake, but it is foremost the unfamiliarity of the natural aesthetics of reality. The photos in this book literally refer to such an unfamiliar natural phenomenon, a mysterious phenomenon known as 'Abendsonne'.

In this book, lushly photographed flora isolated in nature alternates with enlarged details from the wilderness compositions that emphasize the four-color separation methods used in commercial printing. The detail pages encourage appreciation for the graphic qualities of the quiet views of undeveloped nature where tree bark ridges and layered flowering branches become organic patterns. The book's pages are perforated for easy removal as the included images can be assembled to create two wall sized installations, each 1644 x 2082 mm (64.5 x 82.1 inches).

In the extraordinary light of the subarctic Norwegian north, getting close to the earth's very heart, is where Misha de Ridder made photographs and films. At this latitude, only sparse vegetation grows on the dark, craggy mountains. A sojourn in this landscape transforms the earth into a tactile planet: palpable, tangible. De Ridder investigates the expressive qualities of this polar landscape and light, but his work also addresses climatic and ecological extremes. The rugged landscape, the cold and the darkness - or conversely, the lack thereof - leave you dependent on your own resources.

Just a twenty minute drive from the city of Amsterdam, a small strip of dunes separates polder from sea. In this barren and tormented nature, Misha de Ridder creates precise and highly detailed photographs employing light, colour and atmosphere, in an effort to salvage the memory of a wilderness lost.

This book casts a unique perspective of Amsterdam in quietly subversive, full-page urban landscapes. Sign boards on a crowded street, fenced in flowers, Lego-land housing estates with red cars are joined by a short story by Dutch surrealist writer Edzard Mik.