I'm Hungry - PhMuseum

'I’m hungry' consists of a series of images, drawings and quotes created by photographer Ans Brys and her son between March 11, 2020, and May 5, 2023, the respective start and end dates of the global COVID-19 pandemic according to the WHO.

When everything came to a pause in March 2020, Brys turned her focus to her own surroundings. Never before had she photographed herself, her eight-year-old son, their home, or the streets that cradled their world. In the banality and apparent simplicity of everyday life, she found abstraction and beauty.

The combination of visual discoveries (across various photographic media and drawings) with random quotes from her son, creates a surreal microcosm in which a child gradually evolves into an emerging adolescent.

'I’m hungry' is by far the most frequently spoken phrase her son uttered, referring not only to the responsibilities within the parent-child relationship but also to the longing for physical closeness that the pandemic brought about.

The works have previously been exhibited in various formats and on different media. The choice of paper is of great importance for each individual image. Depending on the image, I select extremely matte, softly glossy baryta, or metallic paper. The images are not behind glass and sometimes have a frame, while at other times they are mounted with a floating brass edge. Other small images are placed between two plexiglass pieces, mounted on small Diasec blocks.

I love to play with light, reflection, darkness, low key, texture and glare, both in the photographic image and on the physical medium.

The quotes are written by my son. Currently, they are still in Dutch, our mother tongue, but I plan to create an international version with English quotes as well. There are many of them. Over a period of 3 years, I have been jotting them down whenever he said something funny, insightful, or poetic.

©ansbrys_IMHUNGRY_02.jpg (MIJN OGEN ZIJN NAT)

> MY EYES ARE WET

©ansbrys_IMHUNGRY_06.jpg (MAMA SLAAPT)

> MOM IS SLEEPING

©ansbrys_IMHUNGRY_09.jpg (IK ZIT VOL WOORDEN)

> I AM FULL OF WORDS

> THEN IS FEELS LIKE EVERYTHING IS A CAKE

> JOHNNY THE PONY IS AS DUMB AS A TURKEY

The experiments I conducted during various shows have led me to a clear physical outcome in mind. The intention is to produce a plexiglass box in which all the images (photos, quotes, and drawings) are bundled together as individual postcards, allowing a buyer/viewer to choose which one they want to display prominently. If they grow tired of the image or if it’s time for a change, this can be easily modified. This way, the work is not closed and somehow hidden like in a book, but always visible. The box is completely transparent, allowing you to see the collection of all the images at a glance.

All of the formats will be identical, while still preserving the different paper media. There will even be additional formats such as glossy, plastic, and fabric mediums, as well as brass and embroidered pieces. This amalgamation should sparkle with life, and I want this box to invite that experience.