Contact:

Frédéric Castiau (°1963 Brussels), master in Audiovisual Arts (RITCS, Brussels), fcpcastiau(at)gmail.com | mob: +32 (0)495 18 46 23

My work navigates the unpredictable intersections of privilege and chance. Personal reflections on white privilege and the arbitrary nature of birthplace and circumstance form the foundation for exploring how these forces shape both individual and collective existence. These ideas permeate my creative process, where chance is embraced not only as a method but also as a subject.

I engage with a variety of media, including painting, video, installation, and collage. Central to my approach is an ongoing investigation into the tension between control and surrender—between the meticulous precision of technical processes and the spontaneous gestures of manual labor. My collages, in particular, embody chance in their making, emerging from an intuitive process that allows randomness to shape form and meaning. They feature sharply defined, technically immaculate photographic images, which are then transformed through tactile, corporeal interventions. These works often serve as catalysts, influencing or resonating with themes explored in my other pieces.

In my practice, I align with the ethos of the laborer, engaging with both material and concept through sustained effort and focus. This sensibility is reflected not only in the physicality of my work but also in the conceptual tension between creation and critique.

My position within the very system I seek to interrogate is inherently paradoxical: I am both a product of, and a participant in, the structures I challenge. This paradox forms a critical tension in my work, where confronting observations are intertwined with a reflection on my own role and privileges within this dynamic. Rather than resolving these tensions, my work sustains them in a state of flux, creating spaces where contradiction and uncertainty can coexist.