Jacques Sonck (born in 1949) studied photography at the Luca School of Arts – Narafi campus – in Brussels. Until 2009, he worked as a photographer for the cultural department of Antwerp’s province. He now lives and works in Ghent and has been making portraits of people since the 1970s – from all age, gender or ethnic background – presenting unusual and original visual characteristics.

With his solo exhibition at the A Foundation, Sonck brings his intimate portraits to Brussels for the first time, curated by Roger Szmulewicz. In addition to celebrating human diversity, his works also question the concept of 'normality'. Can 'normal' still exist if everyone is different and embraces being different? The series of portraits raises such questions and illustrates in a completely random way the diversity of Flemish society since the 1970s.

«One way or another, I always strive to document the people embodying the era and corner of the world I can call home. It’s this diversity that is interesting: We are all different and yet alike. Perhaps my work can teach viewers to see my subjects in a different light, to look at them with more curiosity and empathy. At the end of the day, my red herring is that we’re all different, and the message is that we’re proud of it. »

— Jacques Sonck