Monique Belier is a photographer from the Netherlands, with a background in dance. Last year (2023), she graduated from the Photo Academy in Amsterdam. Her graduation project, a photo artist-book 'Where the Spirit Meets the Bone' was distributed across many countries, available in bookshops like: Tipi Bookshop in Brussels, Le Bal in Paris and other shops in, Milan, Lisbon, London, and more. Additionally, it found a place in the photo book library in Salzburg and was curated by esteemed institutions such as Huis Marseille and Foam in Amsterdam. In 2023, Belier was selected as a Fresh Eyes talent, leading to her participation at Haute Photography in Amsterdam. Furthermore, she was chosen for the OFF Bratislava festival to present her book. Her work garnered further praise and was recognised by Robin Titchener in the list of the best photo books of 2023. Belier's work has been featured in various magazines and exhibited in the Netherlands and Zurich. She is currently invited by Palm Tree Workshops to attend a Masterclass by Raymond Meeks in September and, in May of this year, she participated in the Masterclass Week of Origini Edizioni in Livorno, Italy, by invitation. Belier is a member of Atelier Néerlandais in Paris and has been the curator of photo exhibitions at De Engelbewaarder in Amsterdam since October 2023. Artist Statement The focus of my practise lies in the human psyche, and making emotions, for which we often lack words, visible. Movement is an essential element of my photography and is necessary to capture emotion, but not the goal itself. Many of the images revolve around a deep-seated fear of disappearing, not being seen, or being consumed. Through this, I explore my own experiences with depression and a panic disorder that has played a significant role in my life since 2017. The stories that emerge are raw and personal, yet at the same time universal and recognisable. I invite the audience to recognise themselves in the work, where both the subject and the environment reflect the inner movement of our deepest emotions.