About
Hannes Couvreur (Ghent, 1981) is a photographer and artist who uses his images to highlight the subtlety of everyday life. In addition to photography, his work also includes drawings, poetry, essays, and sculptures.
At the age of 36, Hannes was diagnosed with autism and ADHD, which has profoundly influenced his photographic vision. His neurodiversity sharpens his remarkable eye for detail, allowing him to capture connections and patterns that often go unnoticed.
In his photography, the beauty of the ordinary takes center stage, as well as the fragility and resilience of life. Whether capturing the intricate patterns of lichen, photographing wilting flowers, or creating striking portraits of residents in social housing neighborhoods, his images consistently reveal how transience, vulnerability, and strength can coexist.
In 2023, he published his first book, And Then The Tides Turn, a comprehensive black-and-white visual narrative born from a walking journey along the Belgian coast.
In addition to his photographic work, Hannes regularly writes and speaks about his experiences with autism and ADHD, inspiring others and contributing to a broader understanding of neurodiversity.
Artist statement (Eng)
Artist statement (Nl)
Why do people and things look how they look?
How has life shaped them?
And how, in turn, do they shape life and the world around them?
These questions are always at the heart of my work as a photographer and visual storyteller, whether I’m working with people, communities, neighbourhoods, lichens, trees or landscapes.
Over the years this has resulted in several personal projects and (socially inspired) assignments, a selection of which you can discover in the photography section.
“So the conch shell carries the snail's prochronism — its record of how, in its own past, it successively solved a formal problem in pattern formation.” — Gregory Bateson
Drawings and bots
Next to photography, I also create drawings and scrap-sculptures (bots), a collection of which you can also discover on this website.
Before focusing on photography and art...
I have worked as a teacher, journalist, copywriter, facilitator and coach. My focus? Conversations that elicit, amplify and reinforce stories about people’s resourcefulness in dealing with life’s challenges. Whether it was about urban planning, organisational development, personal development or classroom situations.
Get your own prints
Some of my work is for sale. So take a look in the shop and get your own limited edition print, signed and numbered, printed on premium quality paper and delivered to your doorstep.
Interested in working together?
Let’s get in touch, and tell me what you have in mind.
“The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.” — Ludwig Wittgenstein
Trained by
Mary Gelman (RU, Personal Storytelling, BSPF, VII Photo Agency)
Matt Stuart (UK, Street photography, MAPS, In-Public)
Bieke Depoorter (BE, Visual storytelling, Magnum)
Maciek Nabrdalik (PO, Documentary photography, VII Photo Agency)
Renée Jacobs, (US, Nude Photography)
Tim Fox (UK, Street photography)
Yann Bertrand (BE, Flash photography, Tell Me a Picture)
Willem Wernsen (NL, Black and white photography)
Piet Van den Eynde (BE, Flash and steampunk, More Than Words)
Filip Claus (BE, Street photography, reportage and storytelling, ID Photo Agency)
Jeroen Brejou (BE, Street photography, documentary, Wisper vzw)
Exhibitions, assignments and talks
2024
BREEDBEELD in gesprek - talk about my work, BREEDBEELD vzw, Ghent, BE
Story of My Skin - social artistic project, book + exhibition, Cachet VZW, Brussels BE
Open Atelier Affligem - group show with local artists and guests, Affligem BE
PuurKunst - photography group show, Puurs-Sint-Amands BE
Break-Aut - Joint Show by 3 neurodivergent artists, curated by Isabel Allaert, showing my bot.s-sculptures, Ghent BE
2023
Still Lives / Stille Levens (working title) - Joint Show curated by Koen Broucke, Venetian Galleries, Oostende BE
This Little Light of Mine (working title) - social artistic photography project in Nieuw Gent, Mais Quelle Chanson, Ghent BE
Jardin de Fair 08 - group show, psychiatric residence Guislain, Ghent BE
2022
Is Dysfunctional ?! - Joint Exhibition with Batist "Tist" Vermeulen, Sophie Martens, TANU, Lievegem BE
Unwelcome Flowers: Ouverture - Solo Exhibition, BlinkHuis, Mechelen BE
Unwelcome Flowers: Prelude - Solo Exhibition, Achturenhuis, Ghent BE
2021
Out of touch / Within reach, social artistic photography project in Nieuw Gent, Mais Quelle Chanson
Photographer in residence, Mais Quelle Chanson, Ghent BE
Parcours Knipoog naar Van Eyck - Group Exhibition, Ledeberg BE
Readers and their favourite books - Parcours, Solo Exhibition, Merelbeke BE
Photography as a Compagnon de Route during Depression - Talk, BlinkOut, Ghent BE
2020
Looking for Daphne - Solo Exhibition, Kaffie is Kaffie, Gentbrugge BE
Photography as a Compagnon de Route during Depression - Talk, BlinkOut, Ghent BE
2019
The Art of Getting Lost - Talk, Chevetogne BE
Life Among the Lichens - Exhibition, Chevetogne BE
Looking for Daphne - Solo Exhibition, Little Things, Ghent Belgium
2018
The Art of Getting Lost - Talk, partnermeeting Bond Zonder Naam, Geetbets BE
Life Among the Lichens - Exhibition, partnermeeting Bond Zonder Naam, Geetbets BE
