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Worlds Inside, Outside

But Van Canneyt's pictures don't just look pretty, they also explore the relationship between people and their surroundings and often the state of mind of an individual at one particular and unsuspecting moment.

Urban decay and solitude are reoccurring themes: simple, elegant and sad. Van Canneyt is truly fascinated by how people behave in their environments and is constantly in search of images that show people in their purest form. When no one else is looking, she captures the beauty and sorrow in the little things.

Like "The Museum", one of the images in her exhibition in Antwerp, in which a man simply stares at a painting. Far from the mundane subject a less talented photographer might make with the work, Van Canneyt's tight composition, light and depth transforms the photo into a painting that exudes the sophisticated loneliness in our modern-day society.

One of the most striking features of Worlds Inside, Outside is that the photos don't need any explanation; speaking for themselves, they invite the spectator to create his or her own story. There is also often a filmic quality, making you long for more. "Sleeping", for instance, features a father and daughter in terrible circumstances - how, why and what comes next jumps to mind. This shot is also a prime example of how the photographer combines harsh reality with the moving beauty of a moment.

None of the photographs were staged; Van Canneyt just goes in search of images that represent her and others' thoughts and feelings. These aspects make her work universal, relatable and unique. In the end, she is able to find peace in a chaotic world by focusing on the complex and mesmerising elements that make us all human.

Until 27 August
Gallery In-Between
Paardenmarkt 90, Antwerp

www.nelevancanneyt.com

More gallery shows this week

Louis Blondiau - Gallery Garden, Brussels
dé/montage - Grusenmeyer Art Gallery, Deurle
Regards sur les corps - Galerie Pascal Polar, Brussels

(August 18, 2024)