“I picked up a camera, collected moments, developed film, studied faces, studied myself, asked questions, dug through memories, turned pages in old albums, followed the threads, documented more moments, staged images, rebuilt what was lost, searched for childhood, searched for truth, shot more pictures. Documented. Collected. Created. Pieced together fragments. Lost some. Found others.” Machteld Dekens is an artist based in The Netherlands who explores family life and heritage, blending documentary and constructed realities. Her photography searches for the spaces in between—where childhood lingers, unmasked, amidst the weight of adulthood. With a background in Fine Arts, her work delves into identity, memory, and the intricate ancestral tapestry that shapes us, inspired by the ethereal interconnections between childhood and adulthood. Her practice evolves through various methods, including self-made and staged photography, as well as documentary and historic/found footage. These interconnected approaches reflect her ongoing exploration of family narratives and the nuanced layers of identity.