The Sustainist Gaze, Kristof Vrancken

With The Sustainist Gaze, Z33 presents the first major retrospective exhibition of photographer Kristof Vrancken (BE, °1982). In his work ecology, activism and photography come together. The artist advocates a more sustainable relationship with nature. Vrancken consciously opts for natural materials and avoids the use of polluting chemical products in analogue photography. He experiments with emulsions of algae, berries and Japanese knotweed, and uses sunlight to develop his photos. This slow, traditional way of working is a reaction against today's flash culture and the fleetingness of images. By making prints using plants, nature is not only present on the image, but also literally in the image. Vrancken transcends classical photography and interweaves his practice with other disciplines such as design, new media and science.