The book Safety First is composed entirely of negatives that were damaged by X-ray scanners during a trip to Grozny early 2011. In the Chechen capital, these scanners are placed not only at the entrance to the airport and government buildings, but also in shops, gyms, restaurants, and outdoors on squares. In Safety First, writer Arnold van Bruggen explores the difference between security and a false sense of security in the North Caucasus, while Rob’s photos describes a day’s work in the region with photos that initially appeared unusable.

Winner Magnum Expression Award, 2011

“The images have become almost unimportant, which makes the discovery of the broken-is-even-better metaphor even more powerful.”
— nrc.next, 2012

Specs

Publisher: The Sochi Project, 2012
Series: Sketchbook no. 01
Hardcover: 48pp
Language: English
Dimensions: 15 x 21 cm (5 7/8 x 8 3/8 in.)
Print run: 750 copies (numbered)