EARLY GAZE casts a new light on the emergence and development of photography in 19th-century Belgium. The invention of photography not only brought technological innovation but also changed the way we look at ourselves and the world. What began as a marvel of innovation quickly grew into an instrument of control, self-image, and social order.
The exhibition EARLY GAZE documents the birth of Belgian photography, from the very first mugshots to groundbreaking images in art, medicine, and jurisprudence. It reveals how an elitist pastime evolved into a powerful tool for recording, controlling, and constructing identity.
You are invited to gain a new perspective on the photographic pioneers who helped write the story of a young nation. Discover forgotten portraits and untold stories, and experience how the earliest photographic gaze still resonates in our contemporary image culture—through phenomena such as framing, agency, and consent.
EARLY GAZE demonstrates that photography was never a neutral registration of reality, but from the very beginning a powerful instrument in shaping the narrative of the ruling class.
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