There is so much in what you already know

How did you find your way into becoming a photographer? 

I studied plastic arts in high school, where I was interested in painting, drawing and composition. But images were already a big part of my life. My father is a cameraman, and my parents introduced my twin sister and me to films and the world of art from a young age. When I started taking pictures, I moved from using my phone to disposable and Polaroid cameras. I liked how they made taking a picture feel more like creating a moment. I began by photographing my friends, including Héloïse, whom I had met in high school.

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Did studying at KASK & Conservatorium change the way you approach your practice?

The school helped me understand the importance of research and theory alongside practice. Photography can be quite a solitary activity, because so much of the work happens outside school. But the academic context encouraged me to put words to my work, understand its political dimensions and think about why I photograph. The facilities, equipment and support also opened up possibilities I wouldn't easily have had otherwise.

Photography can be quite a solitary activity

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Your project with Héloïse deals with intimacy and vulnerability, and your own personal relationship together. What does it mean to photograph something so personal to you?

I think there is so much in what you already know. By talking about something personal, you can sometimes say more about a generation, a struggle or the world you live in than by approaching it as an outsider. But photographing someone close to you also requires care. Sometimes not taking a picture is just as important as taking one. There is an instinct for when it might not be the right moment to pick up the camera. The relationship and the moment matter just as much as the photograph.

The relationship and the moment matter just as much as the photograph

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How has the project with Héloïse developed?

After she was diagnosed with anorexia, Héloïse asked me to take pictures because she wanted to remember that moment before going into the hospital. When she returned, I wanted to photograph her recovery and our reconnection after months apart. But our relationship continued to evolve, and so did the project. I also wanted to show what it meant to be friends with someone living with an eating disorder, beyond the stereotypes and medical definitions. Héloïse was my best friend first. We were young, discovering love, parties, travel and all the experiences that come with growing up. Her illness is part of her life, but it never defined our friendship.

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You often photograph ordinary, in-between moments. What draws you to them?

Sometimes it's not the most important or dramatic moment that says the most. It can simply be being together in silence, or doing nothing in particular. These everyday moments might seem boring at first, but when you look again, they are full of life. I also combine these moments with more constructed images. There is always some organisation in documentary photography, but the images remain grounded in our reality. Sometimes a small detail or gesture can communicate much more than what is immediately visible.

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How has making this project changed the way you understand friendship and your own role as a photographer?

It taught me to listen, to be caring and not always feel the need to have an answer. I also became more aware of the power dynamics involved. I'm a man photographing a woman, and I'm the photographer while she is the person in the image. I never want to speak for Héloïse. She has her own voice and can speak for herself. The project is built on trust and something we do together. If she wanted to stop, I would respect that. It's her story as much as it is part of our friendship.

<img class="editorial-image-50-left" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/61eebcc683107b99137f4423/6ae86549a3b22ef4903f5246_Noe.Znidarsic-29.avif"/>

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Where would you like to take the project next?

I'd love to start giving it closure by making a book. Héloïse and I have grown up together, from our teenage years into adulthood, and our relationship has changed along the way. Making a book could be a way of closing a chapter and allowing the project to live by itself. I would also like to include Héloïse's own words, perhaps through a transcription of a conversation between us. It's important to me that her voice is part of the work.

Sometimes a small detail or gesture can communicate much more than what is immediately visible

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<div class="editorial-banner"> <div class=“editorial-credits”>@noeznidarsic<br><br>Different Class and KASK & Conservatorium are teaming up for a series of artist portraits, featuring some of the interesting alumni and student profiles.<br>schoolofartsgent.be</div></div>