In my photography I am fascinated by the perception of space, in relation to representation of space on a flat surface.

Regarding the perception of space I have focused, for a number of years, on two major subjects:

The hidden space is the extension of the public space, behind the wall, above the ceiling or beneath the floor. In fact it is the negative space that complements the visible space as we know it.

In a Dismantled space, many hidden spaces have become visible. Construction work changes the entire public space into a temporal “hidden” space. A space under construction is, in a strange way, neglected. What remains of the aura of a theatre or a museum gallery after the actors have gone, the art has been removed and the walls have been stripped? When the construction work is done, and the spaces are accessible to the public again, it is hard to recognize the lustrous spaces in the photographs of the stark and empty rooms. The photographs show what might still be there, behind the plastered walls.

Offering views of these invisible spaces, in relation to the accessible space as we know it, our perception of the visible reality can be intensified. In order to achieve this, I have created numerous photographic installations where large scale prints of hidden or dismantled spaces are displayed on a site that is directly related to the space shown on the photograph.

Documenting these installations through photography, the installed print and its environment merge together to one layer. This made me experiment with the photograph within a photograph. Thus, I seek new ways to represent and combine spaces and their meaning within the flat surface of the photograph. The representation of space becomes a significant aspect of the image.

Jan Theun van Rees