avec le temps

“With time, everything goes away

Between the words, between the lines, like swirling leaves

With time, everything goes away

To go further, just let it go and it’s alright”

Inspired by the song "Avec le temps" by Léo Ferré.

I often feel that time is going too fast. That I’m not ready to let go. To make a choice which path to take next. But the answer rarely presents itself along with the question. It takes time, which I then try to kill with photography. Photography as a residue of time.

The leaves symbolise me trying my best to be more like them; they blow carelessly in the wind without any idea where they will end up. The lines added in pencil allow for multiple interpretations, but for me, they represent the passage of time, which in one situation can flow quickly while in another situation sticks like a spider's web. I created this project just before the year I turned 50 and had to choose between science and photography. It became photography.

Mixed analogue and digital techniques.

B&W PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD 2023

“Your series is a conceptual story that uses the tree leaves and their ability to let themselves be carried away by the wind without worrying about the destination as an inspiration for your attitude against difficulties. Actually, what you do is to project yourself on the leaves and wish to be like them leaving your problems and concerns free to go away. So, leaves become symbols of wisdom and a harmonic relationship with natural law. Become like leaves, is easier to be open to the unexpected and chaotic and stop trying to control everything. After all, life is not predictable and there is no complete control over it. I believe that your project not only refers to but also is created for you having an autobiographical identity. The way you leave randomness and spontaneity because of the photographic techniques you use to be part of your work could be seen as a practice of the above in your art before you use it in your life. Although photography distracts you from your problems and fills your time creatively by balancing your impatience, we can detect your struggle in the obsessive way you deal with the subject trying to repeat the same concept in various ways to make it readable and part of your dealing with the world around you. The result is artistic of course, and able to communicate a feeling of admiration for nature’s wisdom and beauty and the emergence of the order through the chaos.

All of the above gives your work subjectivity and increases its authenticity. We see here not an objective description of reality but your subjective view of it. The semi-visible lines that look like an energy field unite all elements in space and at the same time penetrate them and we could say that they represent life itself as it exists in the universe. Various kinds of lines define the variety of relationships between leaves and metaphorically, various connections and life situations. It seems that the transparent lines are a kind of personal symbol and work like an extra narrative tool. Probably is a metaphorical way to show the time and its role in crucial encounters and decisions in our lives or even a way to make reasonable the randomness of encounters and incidents in our lives.

The images are perfectly executed and composed proving your experience, commitment and your fine taste. They are fine art images with high aesthetic and technical value. The “dance” of the leaves and their relationship have grace and depth because you have managed to give human features to the way they move and react with other leaves. The lines are open to more than one interpretation and also could be seen as a continuation of the movement in time.

Sander, you are a thoughtful, creative, unconventional, and sensitive person with a vivid imagination and high aesthetic criteria who loves challenges and is not afraid to explore himself through his art. You have the background, the motivation, and the gift to create noticeable personal work and make it widely known if you continue working with the same passion and leave yourself to be visible in your work (I speak metaphorically) as you have already done. Stay faithful to your concerns and beliefs, show your personal view on reality, and never follow trends and likes. Only personal and sincere works can resist time and win a more permanent acceptance. And only a consistent photographer leaves his mark.

My engagement with your work was an exciting and pleasant experience. I wish you good luck, and I’m looking forward to seeing more from you in the future.”

— Anonymous industry professional