Bieke Depoorter: Chance Encounters
For this project, I worked with Magnum Photos on the development and production of their online masterclass series with Bieke Depoorter. Starting with in-depth research of the artist’s practice, we built a curriculum around Depoorter’s unique ability to build relationships with her subjects. The course covers the arc of her career and the lessons she’s learnt along the way, as well as spotlighted episodes on practical elements such as editing, book making and exhibition design.
Accidental encounters are often the starting point for Depoorter’s projects: some of them leading to relationships which are years long. The ways these interactions naturally develop dictate the nature of Depoorter’s work. In the course, Depoorter delves into her philosophy on working with people — one that is rooted in the idea of being “a person first, photographer second” — while also exploring the complexities that come with this approach.
Through a curriculum of 17 lessons, Depoorter shares how she builds trust with her subjects in a short space of time, allowing her to create intimate portraits of near-strangers. Drawing on her main bodies of work, she explores the benefits and complexities of photographic relationships and guides students on how to maintain momentum while working on long-term projects.
Credits
Curriculum development & in-house production: Michael Sargeant & Verity Roberts
Director: Joppe Rog
Production Co: All Good Studios
Editor: Anna Zavialova
DOP: Victor Maes
Sound: Matthijs Klein