In "RATZ", Thoelen encapsulates his own life experiences into an image that invites viewers to contemplate the meaning of choices and the paths we tread. "Life is what you make of it," says Thoelen, and this idea forms the core of his artistic vision. It's noteworthy that "RATZ" was captured in a single shot, with each actor present in the scene actually being present in the meticulously crafted set, which Thoelen personally designed and built over months. From casting to directing, set construction to decoration, every aspect of the scene was meticulously crafted by Thoelen's hand.
I live my life with my soul in my hand.
'Typical is boring' is a statement I always presented to myself as a personal advice. And this statement runs like a thread through my life, whereby uplifting enthusiasm dominates the exercise of my passion. I'm a self-taught man, a photographer who's addicted to that shot of adrenaline you get as soon as you leave a well-trodden path. Be prepared for atypical storytelling with people and objects being portrayed in complicated fantasy scenes. One by one compositions intertwined with an overload of details and symbolism.
Awards 2018: Expo: La Fille d'Oscar - Hasselt/Belgium
2019: Expo: SWISSARTEXPO - Zürich/Switserland
2019: Expo: Int'l Art Fair Amsterdam - Amsterdam/The Netherlands - 2019 (WINNER BEST ARTIST AWARD)
2019: Expo: ACAF - BOZAR Brussels/Belgium
2020: Expo: Int'l Art Fair Shanghai - Shanghai/China
2020: WINNER GLOBAL ART AWARD (cat.photography) - Shanghai/China
2020: Expo: 'BLIND' - Genk/Belgium
2021: ND AWARDS | 2nd place nd awards 2021 in people - other
2021: ND AWARDS | honorable mention - people - other
2022: IPA Professional One Shot - Color Fine Art | Official Selection
2022: IPA Professional 2022 - People Other | 2nd place
2022: IPA Professional 2022 - People Other | Official Selection
2022: IPA Professional 2022 - People Portrait | Official Selection
2022: IPA Professional 2022 - Fine Art Portrait | Official Selection
2022: IPA Professional 2022 - Special-Digitally Enhanced | Official Selection
2023: New York Photography awards - Fine Art | 2nd place
2023: MUSE photography awards - Platinum Winner
2024: London Photography Awards - Category Winner of the year
2024: MUSE Photography awards - Platinum Winner
