I am Ilja

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​Based in Ghent, Belgium, I work in art and culture, constantly exploring the world around me. 

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What began as a creative pursuit quickly evolved into a form of self-reflection and expression.

Photography allows me to connect with people and their environment, to dissect the structures around me, breaking them down into compelling stories. Suggestive, impulsive, and fragmented, focusing on people and social themes.This alternative perspective drives me forward, inspiring me to capture the essence of the world around me.​​

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In personal projects, I often mix various media (books, prints, text, collages, projections, negatives, drawings, and video) aiming to create tangible, intimate experiences. Ongoing and ever-evolving, sometimes leading to exhibitions, publications, or books.

 

Exhibitions

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"IN SIDE OUT" @ Breedbeeld / Bosland, Hechtel-Eksel (2020)
Group exhibition featuring images from the book ...then you came along....

"ON THE ROAD" @ Photographic Exploration Project, Berlin Photo Week, Germany (2020)
Featured work as part of the exploration theme.

"ABSORPTION" @ PDP Media Conference, Serbia (2019)
Exhibition of series from the book Where Do We Go From Here?.

"LENS OP DE MENS" @ Neerpelt, Belgium (2019)
Curated by Breedbeeld, a festival featuring collages from Where Do We Go From Here?.

"DWARS" @ Ghent, Belgium (2019)
Art Academy group exhibition showcasing Where Do We Go From Here?.

"LANDSCAPE" @ Fotonale Brugge, Belgium (2019)
Group exhibition focused on landscape photography.

"TRAVELERS" @ Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece (2018)
Group exhibition.

"DEI NUOVI CONFINI DELLA FOTOGRAFIA" @ Milano Photo Week, Italy (2018)
Group exhibition exploring new frontiers in photography.

"MORE IS MORE" @ CC Sint-Niklaas, Belgium (2018)
Curated by Tom Van Der Borgt, this group exhibition delves into the nostalgic value of photographs.

"PLAY" @ Fotonale Exhibition, Brugge, Belgium (2018)
Group exhibition themed around playfulness.

"LAND VAN FOTOGRAFIE" @ Belgium (2017)
Curated by Den Boulevard, group exhibition featuring photos from the series In My Nature.

"ECHO'S UIT DE WIJK" @ Ghent, Belgium (2016)
Guerrilla street exhibition curated in the streets of Ghent.

"MÉTRO-BOULOT-DODO" @ De Pastorij, Ghent (2015)
Curated by Echo's Uit De Wijk, exploring routine and urban life.

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Publications & Prizes

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Echo’s Uit De Wijk Magazine #4 (2022)
Featured publication.

Shoot Magazine #80 (2020)
Printed publication with images from ...then you came along..., supported by Inside Breedbeeld.

Breedbeeld Website (2020)
Featured photo from ...then you came along... as homepage logo.

A5 Magazine Print Issue #36 (2020)
Portfolio edition featuring collages from Where Do We Go From Here?.

Altiba-9 Magazine (2020)
Selected for publication with a collage.

PDP Media Conference Serbia (2019)
Second prize for a series from Where Do We Go From Here?.

Athens Photo Festival (2019)
Shortlisted for exhibition.

Kyiv International Festival of Photo Books (2019)
Selected for participation.

Photographic Exploration Project (2019)
Online publication.

RAW Street Photography (2017)
Online publication LET IT SNOW.

Shoot Magazine #56 (2017)
Printed publication on the theme "Street Life."

EISA Maestro Awards (2017)
1st Belgian prize and shortlisted for the European competition with a series of 8 photos.

PH21 Gallery @ Budapest, Hungary (2017)
"Nocturnal" exhibition, honorable mention.

World Street Photography Book #4 (2016)
Shortlisted for publication.

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Books & Magazines

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2024: Freedom Of Choice (BOOK) Delves into the decisions people make and the social, cultural, and personal influences that shape them. Link​

2020: THEN YOU CAME ALONG (Book) Explores how an accidental encounter can shape the course of one’s life. Link​

2019: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? (Book) A reply to an unwritten letter—reflections on what was to come and what might have been. This book delves into themes and questions that resonate in my everyday life. Link​

2016: BURNOUT (Magazine) A 50-day, 50-night diary documenting personal experiences with burnout. Link​

2015: BANALITÉ BELGE (Magazine) Focuses on aspects of Belgian culture and identity that are often overlooked—what we experience as normal, mundane, or part of everyday life. Link​

2015: MÉTRO-BOULOT-DODO (Magazine) Inspired by the French expression referring to the monotony of daily life—work, commute, sleep, repeat. This project explores the phenomenon of losing awareness in routine tasks. Link

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