For the first time ever since his passing over thirty years ago, 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 city centre gallery .
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.
Deirdre Robb, CEO of Belfast Exposed who has brought the exhibition to Northern Ireland was moved to share this never before seen works with augment having bought De Ridders book last year. Commenting on the exhibition and its influence on her, Deirdre says; “This is one of the most powerful and equally difficult subject matters the exhibition has brought to audiences. We are so excited and very honoured to have this exhibition open in our gallery for its world premier. 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 up 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.”
The exhibition will feature over 20 pieces from De Ridder and will open on Thursday evening 7 August at 6pm on Belfast Exposed. It will run until 20 September.
Frits de Ridder: Staring at the Sun
- Belfast Exposed, 23 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2FF
- 7 August – 20 September 2025
- Opening: 7 August, 6 pm
More information: https://www.belfastexposed.org/whats-on
About Belfast Exposed:
Belfast Exposed is Northern Ireland’s leading photography gallery, committed to socially engaged art, community collaboration, and the power of visual storytelling. For over 40 years, it has fostered dialogue around identity, conflict, health, and justice through photography.
About the artist:
Frits de Ridder (1954-1994) was a Dutch self-taught photographer whose work offers one of the most direct and personal testimonies of living with HIV/AIDS in late 20th century Europe. Alongside his personal practice, de Ridder built a career in commercial photography, working predominantly in the theatre and music world and contributing to newspapers and magazines. Diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 1987, he began using self-portraiture to document the physical and emotional realities of the illness — offering an insider’s perspective at a time when most images of the epidemic were created by outsiders.
