Gentle Imprints

In her artistic practice, Annelie Bruijn engages in subtle, layered dialogues—between intention and spontaneity, the human body and the natural world, personal intuition and photographic chance. Her process embraces imperfections, finding beauty not only in the subjects themselves but also in the materiality of the film—small irregularities, accidental flares, and the light that leaks in at the end of a roll, gently disrupting the frame. These imperfections are not flaws, but openings—moments where control slips, allowing the photograph to breathe on its own.

Her process mirrors the themes of her work, where bodies and nature fold into each other, whether in the surreal fusion of double exposures, or in intimate portraits set against untamed landscapes. Faces are framed by branches or obscured by leaves, and skin is textured with petals. The human form dissolves into nature, and in turn, nature wears the imprint of the body. What emerges are photographs that balance between document and dream, holding onto both clarity and uncertainty.

The dialogue between body and nature is at the core of her photographs. For Annelie, nature is not merely a scenery — it is a grounding presence, and a reminder of the body’s inherent belonging to the earth. “I think somehow we've lost that feeling of how important nature is for us and that we're also part of it,” she reflects. In times marked by growing disconnection from the natural world, her photographs gently invite the viewer to remember and reconsider this relationship.

This connection is also what shapes the sensuality of her work, a fundamental, although subtle, presence. Annelie’s photographs of the human form, nude or exposed in nature, capture moments of vulnerability and intimacy. Whether it is through the physical softness of petals or the delicate positioning of a leaf against the skin, the sensuality in the images stem from not just the visual but the sensory experience they evoke.

What lingers in Annelie Bruijn’s work is not just the image itself, but the sense that every photograph holds a double life — one moment suspended, yet already fading into another. This layering is more than a technique; it’s woven into her use of shadows, the recurring textures, and the quiet patience that permeates her entire practice. Whether it’s a portrait or a double exposure, her work resists the speed at which images are usually consumed, and instead insists on its own pace.

In this sense, Annelie’s work is less about capturing beauty and more about observing its presence — the way a body leaves its trace on the land, or how a plant holds the memory of hands that once touched it. What emerges is a practice that doesn’t aim to pin anything down, but instead lingers in uncertainty — anticipating that beauty, like film, will reveal itself in time.

A heartfelt thank you to Annelie Bruijn for taking the time to share her thoughts with me! Her reflections continue to inspire new ways of seeing and experiencing her photography.

All photographs in this exhibition are available to purchase. Please contact Elliott Gallery for availability and prices.