PILLOW BOOK

“Revisiting the past they discovered a different truth; unmasking the memory’s elaborate facade. The heartache they felt was real, yet the facts had been rearranged by time, weaving a new realm from the strands of their longing and imagination.”

‘Pillow Book’ is an exploration into the connections between past and present experiences. Much like the Japanese concept of a ‘pillow book,’ where personal reflections are curated into a single artistic space, Vandebrug’s work captures the essence of moments reshaped by time and the impact of our memories on new realities they form.

Each composition consists of over 200 mono-types on handmade paper cards which serves as a testament to Vandebrug’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of traditional photography and concurrently mirrors the transient nature of memory. The compositions reveal the intricate dance between the authentic and the distorted and are an amalgamation of intimate leaf close-ups and expansive landscapes. They stand as an eloquent metaphor for the multifaceted nature of recollection and memory - how it can be both faithful and altered.

Video installation MOMENT / TIME 2024

 "Moment/Time" examines the fluidity of time and the transient nature of existence. Inspired by Heraclitus' concept that 'you can never step in the same river twice', the work features eight vertically positioned TV screens, each displaying a unique seascape. Despite their individuality, the screens are aligned to create a continuous horizon line that stretches across the installation, suggesting the subtle continuity that connects moments in time.

This arrangement underscores the themes of impermanence and transformation in both nature and human experience. By capturing the sea's infinite variability, the installation mirrors the multifaceted nature of recollection and memory—how moments can be both faithful and altered over time. Vandebrug’s work intertwines these transient scenes into a unified flow, illustrating the ceaseless movement and interconnectedness of change.

Each of the 8 screens features a unique mono audio fragment with distinct pitch, tempo, and sound. When played together, these fragments create a spatial, infinite, aleatory composition— constantly evolving yet consistently similar. The score is composed by Jeroen de Pessemier

Joost Vandebrug's (1982) photographic works are a testament to his underlying interest in challenging the boundaries of traditional photography, while reminiscent of the Assemblage and Xerox art movements. Through his intricately detailed and poetically tactile compositions, Vandebrug captures the essence of moments reshaped by recollection and memory. Historically, assemblage has been associated with a static logic of time, where diverse fragments are juxtaposed to become part of the same entity. In contrast, Vandebrug's compositions are not locked in such a sense of immediacy. Instead, they involve a transforming movement between the past, present, and future, creating a sense of presence that is constantly deferred. This makes it possible to perceive the works as diagrams of breakdowns, where several states overlap and emerge from each other.  Vandebrug creates works that employ time in a conceptual, physical and highly sensitive manner. His practice goes beyond the personal and touches upon a universal and contemplative state.

His recent series include “Pillow Book", which explores the connections between past and present experiences, and "Exhilarating", a pictorial narrative about light and positivity. The artist employs various printing techniques such as pigment transfers and silver-gelatin prints on hand-made Washi, copper plates, and traditional Barite paper. He chooses to work with historical photographic techniques, which are susceptible and delicate and often aligns them with his subject matter. He also deviates from the photographic convention of producing and preserving flawless prints.

Joost Vandebrug is a multidisciplinary artist who studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam.

His practice includes photography, video, installation, and filmmaking. His highly acclaimed documentary follows a community living under the streets of Bucharest which has won huge international recognition and has been screened in over 50 film festivals around the world.

Before dedicating his career solely to his art, Vandebrug worked as a commercial photographer and filmmaker. He was represented by Art+Commerce in New York and shot worldwide campaigns for clients such Nike and Superdry and editorials for magazines such as i-D and L’uomo vogue.