Pascal Sgro
About Pascal Sgro
Pascal Sgro (1997) is a Belgian photographer based in Brussels, where he obtained a master's degree in photography at the ArBa-ESA (Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels). His photographic approach is characterised by a desire to capture his daily routine, the places of his childhood, and working-class environments. He aims to capture authentic, fleeting moments, trivial gestures, and familiar scenes, reflecting the authenticity of his surroundings.
Wandering the streets of Brussels without a precise itinerary, he lets his eyes guide his shots. Rather than waiting for an interesting moment to occur, he prefers to walk and observe continuously, capturing a few images but always looking for the right framing and subject.
Photographic approach of Pascal Sgro
Pascal Sgro is attached to the 35mm format, which he uses for both film and digital photography, and is developing a spontaneous style close to the snapshot. This style originated in a project about his Italian family, where he immersed himself in their daily lives, camera in hand, to capture sincere fragments of life. This instinctive way of photographing has become the hallmark of his work.
His series Le Jardin du Lunch illustrates this approach. Inspired by his childhood memories, he became interested in the special atmosphere of the Belgian restaurant chain Lunch Garden, where he often went with his family. Returning to this world, he was struck by its timelessness: the dishes, décor, and ambiance had remained unchanged. Every Wednesday, he would return to the restaurant, taking around twenty shots after eating there, observing the customers, and sometimes venturing into the kitchen. More than looking at places, he was looking for faces and presences that told a story, fragments of memory between nostalgia and social observation.
Exhibitions and Publications
Winner of the Roger De Conynck Prize in 2021 for his first series, Parfum, Pascal Sgro has since held numerous exhibitions in Belgium and abroad. His work has been shown in several group exhibitions, including Archipel_1 at Contretype (Brussels), the 19th National Open Photography Prize at the Musée de la Photographie (Charleroi), and the Festival des Boutographies (Montpellier). In 2024, his series Le Jardin du Lunch won first prize at the Brussels Street Photography Festival.
His work has also been widely reported in the specialist and cultural press. His series have been published in Fisheye Magazine, Le Soir, La Libre, L'Écho, and Karoo.
Currently on show at the Hangar Photo Art Center in Brussels, he is taking part in the exhibition AImagine, Photography and generative images with his Cherry Airlines series.
In this photographic project, produced in 2024, Pascal Sgro revisits the 1950s through the creation of a fictional airline: Cherry Airlines. Air travel symbolized progress and elegance during this era, and Pascal Sgro reimagines this period through nostalgia and fiction. Each image is created using AI, blurring the boundary between reality and invention. Cherry Airlines reflects contemporary society, where the pursuit of luxury comes at the planet's expense.
