Tales in Ink

Rob Walbers (b. 1981, Belgium) is a Tokyo-based photographer, whose practice spans music, portraiture, fashion, editorial and personal documentary projects. He studied photography at Karel De Grote in Antwerp. Early in his career he built a reputation as a concert and music photographer, capturing artists such as Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga and Radiohead. In 2010 he moved to Japan, drawn by the culture and its visual discipline, and gradually shifted his focus to fashion, lifestyle, and personal projects, which have resulted in numerous exhibitions and self-published photobooks. Walbers’ work is characterised by a refined, atmospheric lens-style, combining high-tech craft with cultural immersion and sensitivity; his personal projects reflect his interest in Japan’s culture of craftsmanship and ritual. His recent journal-type zine Tales in Ink underscores his evolving visual narrative. Bart Luijten (b. 1967) is a Belgian artist and graphic designer whose work has explored the boundaries of visual texture, analogue print, and photographic noise. With a background in graphic design, Luijten is fascinated by the grain in print, film and analogue photography, treating “noise” as a form of visual information. He collaborates frequently with sculptural and installation practices (for instance with partner Ilse Michiels) and merges analogue textures, collages and conceptual imagery into his work. Luijten’s practice is characterised by a tactile and perceptual search: converting visual “noise” into symbolic form, exploring negative space, and challenging viewers’ expectations of image and meaning. In November 2025, Bart Luijten published his first overview of his creative life in a 384-page book, titled Not For A Want Of Trying.