Often when I share an artist that’s been inspiring to me, it’s usually someone who works as a concept artist. Today’s entry will be a bit of a departure from that. Filip Dujardin is a Belgian photographer who manipulates photos of architecture and cityscapes to create beautiful photomontage works that question the notion of architected spaces.

“I want to play at being an architect. All my creations leave the impression that they could have been built, it’s just that you’ve never seen them.”

—Filip Dujardin

In many ways, I think of my own work—and Lovat in particular—as a love letter to cities. Even if it’s just tangentially. There’s something fascinating about the constructed spaces and interactions that happen within. I love the optimistic concept of the city and the unpleasant realities that dwell in the shadow of that idealism. I find those juxtapositions beautiful. Many of those same themes are present in Dujardin’s work, in particular, his Fictions series. The interplay of form and function both natural and unnatural are warped and distorted, and it gives me pause as a viewer. I’m forced to reflect on the nature of urban environments and our interplay with them as occupants—what they mean, what they remove, how they shape us, and how they distort our experiences and change our perceptions.

I’ve selected some of my favorites below. Click to view them larger.

Filip Dujardin – GMRS 008
Filip Dujardin – Untitled, from the series ‘Fictions’
Filip Dujardin – Untitled, from the series ‘Fictions’
Filip Dujardin – Untitled, from the series ‘Fictions’
Filip Dujardin – Memorial II
Filip Dujardin – Chicago Shuffle #1
Filip Dujardin – Untitled, from the series ‘Fictions’
Filip Dujardin – Untitled, from the series ‘Fictions’
Filip Dujardin – Chicago Shuffle #2
Filip Dujardin – Untitled, from the series ‘Fictions’
Filip Dujardin – Memorial I
Filip Dujardin – Untitled, from the series ‘Fictions’

This is just a tiny sample of Filip Dujardin extensive body of work. You can see much more in his book Fictions and over on his website. (Be sure to check out his Guimaraes series.) If you’re looking to purchase any of his pieces, many are available online at Artspace.com.

If you like Filip Dujardin’s work be sure to check out some of the other artists who I’ve found inspiring in the past. While there’s certainly a theme to the art that inspires me, you’ll find lots of different styles, tones, and moods.

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