In the Belgian artistic landscape, some creators stand out for their ability to weave links between disciplines, to build bridges between image, sound and matter. Clément de Bellefroid is a singular example of this. Photographer, videographer and composer, he develops a body of work where abstraction becomes a universal language, at the intersection of the visual and the auditory.
Three founding milestones
Although Clément has practiced photography for more than fifteen years, it is only through a few decisive experiences that he became aware of his artistic potential.
- 2017: his first steps in composing electronic music opened a breach in his sensitivity. Inspired by artists such as ASC, Kimyan Law and The Glitch Mob, he discovered the emotional power of sound and its intimate connection with the inner self.
- 2022: a journey to Iceland transformed his gaze. Alongside a photographer friend, he traveled around the island in search of grand landscapes… but it was the details, textures and unusual shapes that captivated his lens. From this trip was born a passion for abstract photography.
- 2025: a decisive step. Clément managed to unite his three disciplines — music, photography and video — within a single approach, notably through macro, giving rise to a coherent and immersive artistic vision.
Abstraction as playground
Far from grand panoramas or obvious scenes, Clément cultivates an attentive gaze to invisible details. Whether during a walk, a flight over Icelandic rivers, or in front of a simple liquid matter in his studio, he strives to observe what most people do not see.
“Abstraction gives way to the beauty of natural randomness,” he says. The textures of nature — rock, ice, water, lava — become for him the raw material of a visceral artistic language, one that speaks directly to instinct and to the viewer’s sensitivity.
Between sky and matter
Two techniques have particularly shaped his work in recent years:
- aerial views by drone, which destabilize our usual perception and offer landscapes with painterly qualities;
- macrophotography, which reveals within a banal object unsuspected, almost cosmic worlds.
These explorations give birth to enigmatic images that question our relationship to reality and blur the boundary between photography and abstract painting.
Heritage and influences
Although he often cites photographers such as Jan Erik Waider or Benjamin Hardman among his inspirations, Clément claims total freedom: “I am neither an aerial photographer nor a macro photographer, I am an abstract photographer.”
His art is also profoundly Belgian in its relation to Surrealism. Faithful to Magritte’s definition — “to be a surrealist is to banish the already-seen” — he constantly seeks the “not-yet-seen,” unexplored angles, the visual surprise that rekindles our curiosity.
In this pursuit, he also explores the idea of uniting his disciplines — photography, video and music — in audiovisual creations such as the project Ōra, where visual textures and sound compositions meet. More than a conclusion, these experiments testify to his constant desire to push the boundaries of abstraction.
His work Brain Network, created during the eruption of the Meradalir volcano in Iceland (2022), is a striking example: a powerful and aesthetic image, but above all the intimate memory of an experience where he felt deeply connected to nature.
Access to that artwork : https://www.thisisnotbelgium.be/en/belgian-products/clement-de-bellefroid/brain-network
Emotions and intentions
For Clément, art is above all a return to wonder. “When I produce an abstract image, everything is new. Each image allows me to be amazed again like a child discovering the world,” he explains.
This quest for freshness and surprise nourishes his style, which he defines in three words: organic, unexplored, refined. His objective is not to convey a political or social message, but to spark a raw emotional connection. In a world saturated by performance, he sees art as a vital escape, a space of contemplation and inner freedom.
Challenges and convictions
Like many contemporary artists, Clément recognizes that today’s world presents major challenges: the abundance of works, the difficulty of standing out, the rise of artificial intelligence that blurs the lines between human creation and generated content. But he defends a strong principle: integrity. “Too many artists confuse inspiration with imitation. Authenticity is at the heart of art.”
The Belgian artist, between singularity and curiosity
While he claims a special attachment to Belgium, Clément embodies an artistic identity turned outward, shaped by his travels in Iceland, Peru, Jordan and Ireland. Yet this openness is anchored in a Belgian tradition that values strangeness, the unexpected, the deviation from the real.
A singular voice
Through his aerial photographs, his captivating macros and his electronic compositions, Clément de Bellefroid invents a total artistic experience. A body of work that invites us to slow down, observe, and rediscover the world with fresh eyes.
