Staring at the Sun | Frits de Ridder at Belfast Exposed

Event Details

For the first time in over thirty years, the powerful and deeply personal work of Dutch photographer Frits de Ridder (1954–1994) will be showcased in an exhibition, opening on August 7, 2025, at Belfast Exposed. Frits de Ridder: Staring at the Sun presents an unflinching portrait of life, illness, and resistance during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

This landmark exhibition, realised with the full support of de Ridder’s family and unprecedented access to his archive, marks the first public presentation of his photographic estate since his passing. Curated by José Neves, the exhibition draws from the extensive collection of De Ridder’s work held by the International Institute of Social History (IISH/IISG) in Amsterdam.

De Ridder’s work provides a powerful visual documentation of his experience living with HIV/AIDS, while also reflecting the broader struggle for dignity, visibility, and justice that characterised the experiences of those affected by the virus in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His photographs depict a period marked by stigma and fear, but also by resilience and political awakening. By opening his previously unseen archive to the public, the exhibition seeks to encourage reflection, activism, and collective remembrance. Moreover, it places de Ridder’s legacy in a current context, as the aim of eliminating new HIV transmissions by 2030 remains achievable but increasingly at risk.