ilkarames

I am a self-taught visual artist of French and Algerian origin.
I started photography in the squats in the 1990s. I was already creating female characters through staged scenes that explored themes related to the body and pain.
I spent fifteen years living in Central America. It was a new life, shaped by different realities and new sensitivities.
In 2017, I settled in Brussels. That’s where I took part in a stage mask-making workshop. Over time, this practice became central to my work. Each mask I create becomes the starting point for a character, an atmosphere. I then build a scene around it, always through photography.
A few years ago, I also discovered shibari, a form of expression that naturally resonated with my overall artistic approach.
Creating is, for me, a form of catharsis. My work emerges from strong emotions, sometimes linked to my own experiences, sometimes inspired by stories others have shared with me. It’s a way to transform what’s internal and painful into an image that speaks to me. And if it echoes with others, even better.