Filled with longing and sensuality, Marc Lagrange's photographs celebrate fantasies and desire, placing beauty and dreams at the center of his world. Lagrange was born in Kinshasa, Congo, in 1957. His career path led him from engineering to photography, and his creativity from fashion photography to art. Privileging analog over digital, the Antwerp-based Belgian artist searches for intimacy and emotion, as opposed to artificial effects. His giant Polaroids -which have been exhibited worldwide- are a powerful example of his craft, as well as his attention to detail. He can display the texture of skin, highlight natural curves and make his models stand out. Lagrange elaborates entire sets to create the images he wants, until he finds the exact mood that he wishes to convey. From the color of the walls to the shape of a chair, every single detail counts, underlining Lagrange's perfectionist streak and his willingness to unfold narratives. Throughout his career, he has photographed the same women over different periods of time, turning them into his muses. Inge Van Bruystegem -a striking model and talented dancer- is one of them. Lagrange has been working with her for more than 15 years, developing a privileged relationship. The trust, which has flourished between them over the years, is quite rare in photography, still generating surprising results. People who pose in front of his lens end up performing spontaneously, revealing more about themselves than they perhaps intended to. One thing Lagrange respects is the mystery and power of women : even fully nude, his models are confident and in control, real protagonists as opposed to passive figures. In 2012, the House of Delvaux -the oldest fine leather luxury house in the world- commissioned Lagrange with portraits of women depicting their relationship to their bag, selecting different generation groups. The black and white photographs, which are seductive and elegant, gave birth to a new series, which has been ongoing. In 2014, Lagrange went to New York to shoot iconic women and the results were powerful. From Carmen Dell'Orefice to Zani Gugelmann, he got to meet some of Manhattan's most stylish and influential women, capturing their strength and charisma. The series was named « Timeless Beauties » and following trips to China, Japan -as well as other key destinations for the brand- were therefore planned. Since 2008, Lagrange has also developed his video work, including a film for the fragrance launch of fashion brand Supertrash. In 2012, he also filmed Liesa Van der Aa's video clip for Louisa's Bolero. Marc Lagrange's work has been honored with several exhibitions in Europe and the United States. In 2011, Maison Lagrange introduced more than 240 artworks to the public, many of them unseen. This retrospective lasted 6 months. The following year, his Extra Large Marc Lagrange show in Graz spread over 3000 square meters. Lagrange also takes part in Art Miami on a regular basis, and several books have been published under his name, including Polarized by Ludion in 2009, Marc Lagrange 20 by Lido in 2009. In 2013, Diamonds and Pearls was published by teNeues in 80 countries. The following year, Hotel Maritime - Room 58 in 2014, a private edition limited to 300 copies, whose content was also shown internationally. The atmosphere of Hotel Maritime - Room 58 echoes some of Edward Hopper's most soulful and alluring paintings. It is more conceptual than his previous works and underlines the descriptive quality of his art. A selection of Lagrange's iconic works was featured at TEFAF this year. Upcoming projects include directing a short film, a book focusing on famous fashion models from the 1970s and the 1980s, as well as Senza Parole, which partly takes place in the Italian town of Pietrasanta. Coupled with the Handelsbeurs project in Antwerp, these two will be part of his new book published by teNeues. Marc Lagrange keeps looking for singular subjects and unexpected stories, putting humanity at the core of his approach.