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ABOUT

Elisa Maenhout is a Belgian documentary photographer born in 1997 and graduated as a master in photography at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in her hometown, Ghent. 

Elisa's work focuses on people and how they deal with the world around them. She specialized in underwater photography during the making of her work ‘A depth most would drown in’. The project is about people who identify themselves with mermaids or mermen. The work was published as a book in 2021 and exhibited in various places. While playing with the invisible line between fiction and reality, she starts questioning the medium of photography.

Elisa believes that documentary photography entails more than simply depicting the outside world; it is a creative process that approaches reality. 

 

 

Education 

 

2018 – 2020 Master of photography - Visual Arts, KASK - Royal Academy of Fine Arts

2015 – 2018 Bachelor of photography - Visual Arts, KASK - Royal Academy of Fine Arts

2022 - 2023 - Traject#4 BREEDBEELD 
Mentored by Bieke Depoorter,  Brussels, BE.

Work Experience

 

2021 - now - Freelance photographer 

2022 - 2023 - Promotor KDG Foto student

2021 - 2022  - Internship at Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant 

2018 - Internship in Vietnam with IFSBH and ChildHelp


 

Published book

 

26/10/2021 - A depth most would drown in, MER. Books / Borgerhoff & Lamberigts


 

Solo exhibitions and showcases 

 

2024 - A depth most would drown in, Verkadefabriek, 's Hertogensbosch, NL. 

2022 - 2023 - A depth most would drown in, Concertgebouw, Brugge, BE. 

2021 - A depth most would drown in, Cultureel Centrum Scharpoord, Knokke, BE. 

2021 - A depth most would drown in, Galerie Satellite, Liege, BE.

2021 - Mermaid Iris in Devils Eye, Global Billboard Project, New York City, NYC, USA.  

​2020 - noshowshow: Elisa Maenhout, Kolder Artspace, Ghent, BE.
 

Group exhibitions​

2023 - Traject #4, Hangar Photo Art Center, Brussels, BE. 

2022 - Art Fair - Il Primo Dall'inizio, Duivelsteen, Ghent BE.

2022 - Rotterdam Photo: Single Image, Rotterdam, NL. 

2021 - Art for Christmas, Blanco, Ghent, BE.

2021 - Noorderlicht Internationaal Fotofestival: The Makeable Mind, Museum Herenveen, Herenveen, NL. 

2021 - Fotobiënnale Oostende, Oud Stedelijk Zwembad, Oostende, BE.

2021 - Kunstindorpen, Art Route PASS, Wannegem, BE.

2021 - PhotoTwens - Romaanse Kapel, Unexposed, Leuven, BE.

2021 - The Printswap Exhibition, Laurent Gallery - Melbourne, AUS.

2021 - Antwerp Artweekend: Subbacultcha’s Community Exhibition, Antwerpen, BE. 

2021 - Opus One BREEDBEELD, Permeke, Antwerp, BE.

2020 - GRADUATION Show, KASK, Ghent, BE.

2020 - Noorderlicht Internationaal Fotofestival: Generation Z: Single Image,  Museum Belvedere, Herenveen, NL.

2020 - Looking For Serendipity, Zwarte Zaal KASK, Ghent, BE.

2020 - 2019 - Onderbelicht, Museum Dr. Guislain, Gent, BE.

2019 - Zeemeerminnen festival, Herberg Macharius, Ghent, BE.

​2018 - De Morgen Graduation Show: GrandJam, Yügen, Ghent, BE.

2018 - Graduation Show: File Not Found, Yügen, Ghent, Belgium

Publications

2023 - IT. Maize Magazine: Issue #14: DESIRE, The Three Paradigms of Desire

2022 - BE. Galerie Satellite, 2011-2021 | 50 expositions

2022 - BE. Snoecks 2022, Met een vissenstaat het diepe in

2021 - BE. Het Nieuwsblad, Als een vis in het water

2021 - BE. Het Laatste Nieuws, Ariel bestaat écht

2021 - BE. De Gentenaar, Zeemeerminnen bestaan écht

2021 - NL. Leewarder courant, UFO’s soldaten en zeemeerminnen

2021 - NL. De Volkskrant, Even helemaal ondergedompeld

2021 - BE. De Morgen Magazine: Ariël achterna: als zeemeermin kan ik pas echt mezelf zijn + cover

2021 - BE. Het Laatste Nieuws: Foto van Gentse Elisa (23) hangt binnenkort op reclamebord pal in modebuurt van New York - link

2021 - BE. Opus One ‘20 Photobook, A depth most would drown in + cover 

​2018 - BE. De Standaard Magazine: Stille doders 

2018 - BE. Child Help Belgium Jaarrapport  

2018 - BE. De Morgen: Van zeemeermin tot zeemeerman 

Online publications

2022 - Fotokot Magazine: ‘A depth most would drown’ in op de boekenplank

2021 - VRT NWS: Gentse fotografe reist wereld rond en maakt fotoboek van ‘zeemeermensen’

2021 - Radio 2: Foto van Gentse studente te zien op reclamebord in New York 

2021 - AVS: Werk van Gentse fotografe binnenkort op billboard in New York

2021 - VRT NWS: Onderwaterfoto Gentse studente op gigantisch reclamebord in populaire buurt New York 

2021 - Phototgraphic Museum of Humanity: Her mind swims at a depth most would drown in

 

Press

 

2021 - AVS: Studio Tv-interview

2021 - WTV Alles Goed: Tv-interview

2021 - MNM Peter Vandeveire Ochtendshow: Radio-interview 

2021 - Radio 2: Foto van Gentse studente te zien op reclamebord in New York 

2021 - Video-interview AVS: Werk van Gentse fotografe binnenkort op billboard in New York

Awards

 

2021 - Shortlisted Belfast Photo Festival

2020 - Winner SONY Award, KASK Master in Photography 

2020 - Silver badge, WPE Awards


 

Others

 

2021 - Book launch, CC Scharpoord, Knokke, BE.

Selfportrait 2020_
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