The Edge

• Photographer
  Hendrik Braet

The Edge The word denotes a margin or outskirts and indeed these pictures were taken in neighbourhoods in the periphery of Ghent, where the artist resides. Moreover, in each image, different kinds of borders have been captured, be it walls, gateways, hedges, windows or road surface markings. These are details of outdoor, urban settings; common sights for the attentive stroller. The latter is a role in line with the artist’s preferred modus operandi, who saunters the city in search for captivating circumstances, situations and compositions. Braet has always been reluctant to travel far as he considers his own, nearby region to be sufficiently vibrant and exotic, a premise he continues to prove by means of his photos. Nowadays, he even looks for imagery almost exclusively in the quarters surrounding Ghent, since its city centre – or that of other Belgian, medium-sized municipalities for that matter – is becoming more and more gentrified and in the artist’s opinion visually less interesting. In addition, in the heart of a metropolitan area one can easily feel bombarded with impulses of a varied kind, while on the other hand its periphery can provide some solace. In fact, “The Edge” diverges from Braet’s previous work mostly because the pictures in this series are less dense, more abstract even. Within the confines of built up spaces and closed-off sites, the artist manages to capture a sense of serenity and openness. Braet never puts up a mise-en-scène, yet a certain geometric sensibility is definitely at play too, which is evident not only in the choice of subject matter but in the framing as well. However, his trademark panache and humour are still present. What Braet shows us might be off-centre or situated in the margins but in its apparent simplicity, it is always truly exciting and flamboyant.

Age 44, married to Elsie, blessed with a daughter Charlotte age 6. Studied Social work, Political Sciences and photography. I 'm interested in my close environment. I focus for years on the Flemish identity and culture.