From the book Where The Spirit Meets The Bone, 2023
 
Giclée print on Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl paper.
Size 30x20 cm without white border.
 
"This is an image from my project 'Where the spirit meets the bone'
For this project I worked with dancers, not as performers, but as interpreters of inner movements. Their refined body language and their ability to make the unsaid visible are the source of inspiration for my work. I have always believed that the true beauty of movement lies not in perfection, but in the moments between movements, the journey from one position to another. It is these apparently unconscious movements, in which the dancer is no longer aware of his surroundings, that fascinate me.
 
The project, from which an artist book emerged, is more than just a collection of dance photos. It's a visual and emotional journey, captured in black and white images on eco-friendly paper with a sleeve made from recycled agricultural materials and a handmade spine. Every image tells a story, every gesture and every emotion speaks a universal language that goes beyond words. These photos are not posed or staged; they are snapshots of real, authentic movements that come from deep within.”
 
Monique Belier (1971) is a Dutch visual artist who recently graduated from the Photo Academy in Amsterdam (May 2023). Before she decided to make a career change, she worked for twenty years as an entrepreneur, teacher and maker in the dance world.
 
Her work revolves around the themes of people, body and mind. Her graduation project, the photo artist's book entitled 'Where the Spirit Meets the Bone', has found its way to readers and bookstores in several countries, including the Photography Museum 'Huis Marseille' in Amsterdam. In addition, her book was selected for exhibition at the OFF Bratislava 2023 photo festival. And she was selected by GUP as a new Fresh Eyes International talent 2023.
 
During her studies, she was given the opportunity to found a magazine called 'Small Town Boy', which found its place in several newspapers, including NRC. The attention her work received led to a special invitation from 'Nieuw Amsterdam' to Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam, where she had the opportunity to discuss her project.
 
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