Ruud van Empel's wonderful worlds
Sunday 29 October 2017, 21:42 by Michelle Peeters | 6,164 views | 0 commentsThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
A while ago, I visited the work of photographer/artist Ruud van Empel at the Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch. His works look like photographs, but if you look closely, you can see that there is more to them.
They are wonderfully constructed worlds, created by him. And they are also a fine example of Photoshop technique!
Ruud van Empel (Breda 1958) is one of the most remarkable artists of our time. He creates striking digital photo collages using a technique he developed himself. We see people, often children, and landscapes in an atmosphere of innocence and vulnerability.
Beauty and identity are also important themes in his work.
Assembled portraits
His photographs are wonderfully constructed worlds, created by him. First, he makes pencil sketches of the scene he has in mind, then he photographs models in his studio.
At the computer, he then designs an entirely new scene, using hundreds of separate details and taking the greatest care. You only see fragments of the original models.
The eyes, nose, mouth and even the eyebrows are pasted into a face separately. In some collages, he goes so far that even the pupils or the reflections in the pupils are mounted separately. You can finish it off perfectly in Photoshop, so you do not see it.
It only creates a slightly unsettling effect. His photographs certainly will not quickly infringe anyone's portrait rights...
Ruud van Empel is exhibiting from 18 November 2017 to 18 January 2018 at the Photo18 Festival in Brussels.
About the author
Michelle Peeters is fotografe en oprichter van DeuxBleus Fotografie. Michelle herkent het bijzondere in het gewone en het gewone in het bijzondere. Ze heeft zich nooit willen specialiseren en is daardoor van alle markten thuis.
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