Sybren Vanoverberghe Belgium, b. 1996

Sybren Vanoverberghe (°1996. Kortrijk, Belgium. Lives in Ghent, BE and works in Otegem, BE) engages with photography, employing diverse printing techniques, installations, structures, and discovered objects in his artistic practice. His creations capture landscapes and their remnants in a perpetual state of transformation, revealing the intricate interplay between place and time. Through his works, Vanoverberghe explores the convergence of history, nature, and heritage, presenting viewers with a visual dialogue that spans both the historical ruins and commonplace locales. His art challenges established notions by juxtaposing present-day structures with what might be interpreted as artifacts from an envisioned future. Vanoverberghe’s pieces possess a pronounced anachronistic quality, with certain images portraying a bygone era that never truly existed. Within his monographs, he often delves into the cyclical nature of specific sites, transcending their original geographic context. His work prompts speculative inquiries that traverse time, oscillating between past and future with equal resonance. A perpetual tension permeates Vanoverberghe’s oeuvre, inviting contemplation on the dual nature of images — whether to accept them as historical documents or dismiss those that seem to foretell a future yet to unfold.

Vanoverberghe has had recent solo exhibitions at Keteleer Gallery, Antwerp (BE), Deweer Gallery, Otegem (BE), UZ Brussels (BE), CC De Factorij, Zaventem (BE), Cadogan Gallery, Milan (IT) and Stieglitz19, Antwerp (BE). He had two-person exhibitions at De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL), Contretype, Brussels (BE), Barbé Gallery, Ghent (BE), Ontsteking, Ghent (BE). His works have been shown at various fairs such as the Unseen Photo Fair, Amsterdam (NL); Miart (IT), Art Brussels (BE), Paris Photo (FR) and Art Cologne (DE). Vanoverberghe’s works are published in artist books such as 2099 (2018), Conference of the Birds (2019), 1099 (2020), Sandcastles and Rubbish (2021), Desert Spirals (2023), MUSA (2024) by Art Paper Editions (BE). His works are included in the public collection of the Flemish Government – FoMu, Antwerp, BE. Vanoverberghe received his MFA from The School of Arts – KASK in Ghent, (BE).