Thomas Nolf

As Real As It Gets is a photography project by Thomas Nolf (1986, Kortrijk) that explores the human need for escape through the lens of aviation culture.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Nolf rediscovered his childhood fascination with flying. At a time when flying was prohibited, he installed the new version of Microsoft Flight Simulator on his computer and took to virtual skies to escape.

Between 2020 and 2024, Nolf traveled the globe, visiting airports, meeting flight simulator pilots in their homes, and exploring the world's largest model airfield, Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg.

The exhibition brings together photography, simulated images, text fragments, and memories from his youth to delve into the romantic and dreamlike allure of aviation. Nolf’s meticulously composed images evoke the stylized aesthetics of video games, cinema, and advertising. This approach blurs the line between fiction and reality, highlighting the idealized concept of escape and the artificial, simulated nature of photography itself.

The exhibition is accompanied by a publication released by Art Paper Editions. The opening will feature the launch of the book of the same name.

• Curator: Lara Verlinde