Text & Interview Dzenana Mujadzic
David van der Leeuw ist ein belgischer Fotograf, der mit feinem Gespür für das Flüchtige arbeitet. Spiegelungen, Schatten und durchlässige Ebenen prägen seine Bildwelt. Doch was wie poetische Zufälle wirkt, ist das Ergebnis bewusster Experimente mit Material, Perspektive und Technik.
Chapter Reflections, shadows, and subtle interventions seem central to your imagery. What draws you to these ephemeral elements?
David van der Leeuw I’m drawn to moments that feel like they’re on the verge of disappearing. I like it when an image feels unstable, when it holds tension—when what’s visible is only part of the story, leaving the viewer wondering what is happening. I try to layer and obscure reality—sometimes through glass, water, or mirrors. These elements all create a certain ambiguity, which hopefully encourages the viewer to spend time decoding the image. I guess the short answer is: I try to make it feel more poetic than realistic.
Chapter You often physically enter your photos through shadows. Can you talk about this performative gesture—is it about presence, authorship, or something more elusive?
David van der Leeuw I don’t really know, to be honest—I guess it’s a mixture of all of the above. Sometimes it’s a way of including myself in the photo; sometimes it’s simply to add an abstracted layer to a scene that needs something more. Mostly, I think it has to do with creating a sense of mystery in my work—something that introduces a narrative or a human element, but still remains elusive.
Chapter It appears that, conceptually, there’s a surreal, cinematic tension running through your work—where do you personally draw your inspiration from?
David van der Leeuw I try to draw inspiration from everything around me, all the time. Sometimes it’s a line from a book, a city, a color, a newspaper article, a friend, a museum visit, or a dream… Overall, you could say cinema is my main influence—it inspires me in the most complete way, because it’s such a broad art form that encapsulates all the elements I just mentioned: image-making, storytelling, philosophy, music… there’s just so much in it to be inspired by.
Chapter While AI is unlocking unprecedented possibilities in image making, there’s something almost magical about working with traditional methods. Could you also share a bit about the technical aspects behind how your images come to life?
David van der Leeuw I try not to get too attached to a certain technique—I always aim to experiment and do things differently. I shoot with old analog cameras, digital ones, and even my iPhone. I photograph through different materials—glasses, fabric, whatever happens to be around me. Sometimes I use props to alter reality, but everything happens in-camera; I don’t use double exposures. In post, I sometimes crop images radically, reprint and rephotograph them, or remove entire color ranges. There’s never just one formula—I always try to experiment along the way.
ARTIKEL ERSTMALS VERÖFFENTLICHT IN CHAPTER №XII »SIMPLICITY« – SOMMER 2025
