A writer uses words to create a fictional world, but Filip Dujardin uses his camera, computer, and creativity to bring a surreal landscape to life. The artist’s ‘Fictions’ series was launched in 2008, yet it continues to intrigue the viewer almost a decade on, looking just as striking and captivating now as it did then. To bring his vision to life, Dujardin photographed various buildings located in and around Ghent, Belgium, then used digital techniques to create collages that depict a strange world where nothing is what it seems. Some of the images show impossible structures and implausible designs. Others, perhaps more intriguing, trick the viewer initially, only to reveal their fictional nature seconds later. Urban buildings and houses appear alongside natural elements and industrial details. Missing elements, incongruous details, or simply absurd constructions infuse the images with an out of this world atmosphere, making them truly unforgettable. The series can be described as digital artworks that use photographs as paint and the artist’s mind as a guiding brush. Images courtesy of Filip Dujardin.
