TITLE: arabia felix

At the end of the 20th century I traveled several times through Yemen and Oman. I explored 4 years at a row in the summer holidays the southern peninsula of Arabia. I did a research on the vision and feeling of Arabian Exotism. It was a dangerous adventure because the gulf war was striking. Therefor I had to flee out of Yemen because people were furious on everything which was western. I closed my travels in a mysterious archipelago in which concepts such as the “empty quarter” being the most desolate desert and the odor of frankincense and myrrh showing me the way.

Because of these wars this project “Arabia Felix” was put in the fridge. Nobody was interested anymore in these unknown Arabian countries. War was all over. Time flew by and this work was covered with new and daring works. I started a different approach to my creative attitude. Instead of looking for exotism of faraway realities I started to look closeby and did a research by my ordinary life in the form of diaries. These diaries are maintained till now and form the principal artistic basis of my works. Now I travel by bike and on foot and taste the scent of exotism by everyday actions. I see life as one big performance and I like to act.

I forgot all about this Arabian work till now. It was a rediscovery to see my reportage with contemporary eyes. I like to meet people and talk to them. This meeting is the central basis of my approach.
I took long walks in the capital city of Sanaa and spoke and laughed together with casual passers-by. A lot of times I ended at home with them drinking tea and coffee. My Arabian knowledge of the language took me everywhere.

AUTHOR: lieven neirinck (Belgium)

1959° - Kortrijk/Belgium
Cyclist, hiker, Map designer, performer, photographer, traveler, synergiticus, fanatic diary maker and now since 2021 …pensioner.
Photographer, I started my career as a photographer. I did a lot of black and white analog photography in the eighties and nineties. I traveled around the world hoping to find myself.
Cyclist, First and foremost I am a cyclist. With this object I move and act. This experience is the stimulus to awaken my creativity. The cycling is a performance action.
Hiker, Second most used action seen as a performance is hiking. I wander through Venice, Bruges, and several other capital cities in Europe. My hiking is a perfect mix of meditation and exploration.
Performance, Every day during a period of 100 consecutive days I perform before the camera and react upon the theme that is choosen. This is how I make my diaries.
Map designer, I design maps of my walks and cycletours in order to recreate this experience in the readers mind.
Everyone of us defines his own territory. Your own house, your friends, your family, your ambitions, your standards, your openness ...
In short, in everything that surrounds you, you look for the bounderies to experience what is in the area that you regard as yours. These limits are set mentally and / or physically. An invisible blueprint of your activities and their choices determines your territory.
These ingredients to capture space and become a territory are the content of my "imaginary maps".
Diaries,I make “everyday diaries” since 30 years. I choose a theme that is close to me. Then I start looking at the reality of my everday experiences in this theme. This lasts for a period of 100 consecutive days. Then I start a new project.
SynergyticusI have set up different artistic groups and so my creative mind allways kept on growing with new insights. I have done a lot of big installations during the years on important festivals throughout Europe.
www.hetpakt.com
PensionerI have taught creativity and photography lessons for 40 years. Now I am retired. I work everyday on new projects. Hopefully to the end of my days.