About Picto Benelux

The idea to create Picto Benelux originated from an international meeting of bromoilists organized for the first time in September 2004 in Amsterdam, with several similar national groups from France, Germany, Italy and the UK in attendance. Its last meeting was held in 2010, in Paris. Picto Benelux is its offshoot and started its activities during August 2010.

Most of Picto's activities is concentrated in the six or seven meetings held each year, in the Brussels' neighbourhood.

Picto is a community where each participant is actively involved to the extent of his possibilities:
– trying to practice at least one of the techniques presented by the organizers
– offering his services according to his particular skills ,
– speaking during the discussions about his own photographic approach, interests, expectations.
A community where people come to share, not just to receive ...

Picto is not — and never will be — a school, nor a professional association, nor an impresario promoting individual members, nor a merchant (which doesn't exclude the sharing of information on possible resources, for instance).

We do not want to be merely a meeting place where people come for a drink and to spend some good time with friends, or a group reserved for technical “gurus” only.

Picto wants to be the best possible place for working, showing one's work to other members or to the outside world, and seeing the work of others — members or external artists.

• Working: The “demo” part is aiming at encouraging participants to choose a technique and work with it. The objective is to become a network of people who want to involve themselves in a project and explore a specific process, which might involve cooperation outside of the group's meetings. It should stimulate a reflection that goes beyond mere technique, and encourage participants to develop a true artistic approach. Renewal of membership might be subject to a minimum level of activity during the year.
• At each meeting, sufficient time is reserved to the presentation of new works, and the discussion of them. Each member has also the opportunity to have some of his works on display in the website galleries. Finally, the group mobilizes its energies for exhibition projects which have to be more than “didactic” illustrations of old techniques.
• Seeing: Progressing in our art implies staying tuned on what happens in the field; seeing the works of established artists is a source of inspiration and serves as a starting point for reflection and discussions. Therefore group visits to exhibitions and followed by discussions are organized whenever possible.

Each membership request implies that the candidate wants to participate in the meetings mentioned above, and accepts to conform to the Picto charter; you are therefore kindly requested to [ download it ] and to read it before submitting your request.

The annual dues currently amount to 30€; those interested have the possibility to attend one meeting for free before confirming their participation. Payment of the dues gives access to the members' area of this website, which contains amongst other things the members' list, a “reading room” with older books (downloadable pdf files), a list with books made available by and for the members and some tetailed technical articles under the form of downloadable pdf files. This will be gradually completed with other elements , if requested by members..

The public part of the website contains a description of some of the processes used by the members, information on public activities, and picture galleries.

Interested? Please contact us, using the contact form (see navigation menu above).

See you soon?..