Karl Houtteman, born in 1979 in Bruges, Belgium, has been immersed in the world of art from an early age. His parents frequently took him to art museums, where he developed a deep appreciation for the history, the artworks, and the artists themselves. This passion was further nurtured by his father, a painter who continues to create art to this day. It's clear that Karl's artistic journey began in childhood, with his first major influences being street photographers Alexey Titarenko and Henri Cartier-Bresson. Later, the works of renowned painters such as Marc Rothko, Francis Bacon, Picasso, and Modigliani also shaped his vision.
Karl initially turned to photography as a medium to express emotions and energy through captivating imagery, which he found particularly compelling in street photography. His experimentation with ND filters and motion blur led him to discover a unique way of seeing and capturing the world, producing abstract and surreal images.
In his current work, Karl pushes his creativity further by using multiple exposures and intentional camera movements to achieve a style that draws closer to the painters who have influenced him, especially those who excelled in revealing the invisible. His focus is not on composing the perfect image, but rather on capturing emotions, conveying energy, and evoking feelings through his creations.
Karl's photography is about capturing multiple dimensions within a single frame, resulting in surreal images drawn from real-life scenes. Importantly, the effects seen in his work are created entirely in-camera, without the use of Photoshop or any post-processing techniques.
PRESS
EXHIBITIONS
2015/07 - 2015/08 I Cité Gallery - Mons - Belgium
2017/06 - 2017/09 I Zig Zag Gallery - Oostende - Belgium
2019/06 - 2019/06 I KOTK - Beveren - Belgium
2020/07 - 2020/08 I Cont Art Gallery - Murten - Switzerland
2023/09 - 2023/09 I Art meets Nature - Meise - Belgium
2023/09 - 2024/09 I De Galerie Den Haag - Netherlands
SOCIAL MEDIA