SIDELINES chronicles the career of Belgian photographer John Vink (b. 1948). Vink was one of the first members of Agence VU’ and began contributing to Libération in 1985. He has travelled all around the world with his camera in search of the stories unfolding on the sidelines of current events. In his native Belgium, carnival, cycling and everyday life caught his eye. In Bangladesh, Iraq, Mali and many other countries, he documented displacement, dignity and resilience. His personal project Water in the Sahel won the W. Eugene Smith Grant in 1986, showcasing his commitment to capturing the human experience in difficult environments.

Vink became a full member at Magnum Photos in 1997, where he would remain until 2017. After years of travel, Vink settled in Cambodia in 2000, allowing him to engage more deeply with a single culture. Vink’s compelling images reveal his unique view of the world – personal, incisive and timeless.

Published to accompany John Vink’s retrospective exhibition Le Fil (The Thread) at Musée de la Photographie in Charleroi, Belgium from 24 May to 21 September 2025. 
EXHIBITION INFORMATION 
LE FIL – John Vink
Musée de la Photographie 
Date: 24/05/2025 – 21/09/2025 
Address: 11, avenue Paul Pastur, B-6032 Charleroi (Mont-sur-Marchienne)
Tel: +32 (0)71 43.58.10
Mail: mpc.info@museephoto.be
Web: https://www.museephoto.be

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Publication by Hannibal Books: https://hannibalbooks.be/sidelines#54999 
Hardcover – 304 pages – 23 × 17 cm – € 55
Trilingual edition English-Dutch-French: ISBN 978 94 6494 188 32
With a text contribution by Rik Van Puymbroeck.

Different special editions available: Sidelines (limited edition with signed print) – Pre-order € 300
https://hannibalbooks.be/sidelines#55000
https://hannibalbooks.be/sidelines#55001

John Vink is a Belgian photographer born in 1948. He studied photography at La Cambre in Brussels and began his career as a freelance photojournalist in 1971. His work is characterized by a strong commitment to documentary photography. In 1986, he received the prestigious W. Eugene Smith Award for his report on water management in the Sahel. That same year, he joined the VU agency in Paris. Between 1987 and 1993, John Vink dedicated himself to a major project on refugees around the world, documenting their situations in various countries such as India, Mexico, Thailand, Pakistan, and many others. This project resulted in the publication of the book Réfugiés in 1994. In 1997, he became a member of Magnum Photos agency. He also created and published Thèmes, a magazine dedicated to documentary photography. John Vink lived in Cambodia from 2000 to 2016, where he covered the country’s political and social news. His book Avoir 20 Ans à Phnom Penh was published in 2000. His photographic approach is characterized by a desire to bear witness and inform, not to change the world, but to show reality as it is. He often worked in black and white to emphasize the tension between reality and its representation. John Vink has exhibited in many countries, and his work continues to be recognized for its precision and engagement with the documented subjects.
https://johnvink.photoshelter.com/index