I'm glad we talked
Annelies Arijs
Herentals
About
Annelies Arijs is a photographer based in Herentals, Antwerp. In her work, she starts from personal stories and explores themes such as identity, family history, memory, and hidden narratives.
Portrait photography plays an important role in her work. She is passionate about capturing people as they are. With a gentle gaze, she seeks honest images in which stillness, vulnerability, and authenticity become visible.
Project
I'm glad we talked is a project in which I collect stories from people with Filipino roots who at a certain point in their lives discovered that the man they had always known as their father was not their biological father. Some made this discovery at a young age, others much later. What began as a personal experience grew into a shared story.
For this project, I brought together three personal stories through portraits, interviews, and archival material. The portraits were made in the familiar living environments of the individuals, their 'safe space'. The interviews provide room for their experiences and memories, while archival images offer a glimpse into the past and show how the meaning of photographs can change through new insights.
With this project, I want to create more visibility around this often hidden or silenced subject and make space for the impact such a discovery can have on someone's identity, self-image, and family bonds.
