Already, Not Yet explores the tension of the in-between, where belonging and faith grow in complexity. Drawing on photographs taken while revisiting his childhood homes in southern France, Dieleman leans into the tension of returning to once-familiar landscapes. The warmth of nostalgia blends into the ache of knowing that one no longer entirely belongs.
Mirroring the fluidity of belonging, faith and beliefs are also subject to transformation. In this series, Dieleman engages with the theological notion “already, but not yet,” a space between what is known and what is still becoming. Within this liminal terrain, certainty gives way to deeper complexity, valuing contemplation over resolution, inviting the viewer to reflect: What does it mean to live in the mystery of the in-between?
Using an experimental cyanolumen process, Dieleman combines traditional cyanotype chemistry on photographic paper with materials such as tannin powder, turmeric and bleach—subject to chance and chemistry, this method embodies the unpredictability of transformation.
Malik Dieleman is a Toronto-based photographer and multidisciplinary artist whose practice explores the intersections of place, identity and faith. Having grown up in France, Senegal and Canada, Dieleman draws on the complexities of belonging between cultures. A recipient of the Project 31 Photography Scholarship, Dieleman holds a BFA in Photography from OCAD University—with work featured in photoED, Among Worlds and Love Is Moving magazines.
