ABOUT
Artist statement
My work stems from a fascination with place. Photography is a way for me to seek stillness within and connection with our environment. With my work I want to invite to stillness by looking and in this way evoke reflection about our relationship with our environment.
“It’s counterintuitive to think that a photograph might also register other, more subjective sensory information – the so-called ‘secondary qualities’ of taste, sound, smell and touch. But den Boer uses the camera in exactly this way.” – Eugenie Shinkle, Reader in Photography, Westminster School of Media Art and Design, London
Photo by Kazumi Sakurai
“Hoewel een foto een vastgelegde waarneming is, ondermijnt het die ook: een close-up van een steentje kan ineens worden aangezien voor een bergtop; een dorre, hete woestijnvlakte kan in een zwart-wit foto overkomen als een koel maanlandschap; het verlies van scherpte in het negatief lijkt op de foto ineens als mist voor onze ogen. De foto’s van Claudia den Boer zijn als een zoektocht naar houvast die de foto zelf ons ontneemt.” – ‘Bilderatlas’, Mirjam Kooiman, kunsthistorica en curator bij FOAM
“Claudia belongs to the best of the new Dutch generation of photographers pushing the boundaries of landscape and topographical art. We still proudly carry her first book Anchors, which we always held in very high esteem. It really is a wonderful, beautiful photographic object that deserves a spot in anyone’s collection!” – Fotofilmic (CA) – Material Practices in Contemporary Photography
“De fotografie van Claudia den Boer is openhartig. Ze toont meer hoe ze het ziet dan wat ze ziet. Natuurlijk heeft ze haar onderwerpen en die kun je heel algemeen benoemen als landschappen. Het gaat erom dat ze daar een kijk op heeft die ze vanuit haar persoonlijke betrokkenheid zo oprecht mogelijk benadert, met alles wat ze heeft verworven als kunstenaar, maar ook met alles waar ze onzeker over is. Zo wordt de observatie een kwetsbaar fenomeen. Niet het geziene is direct van belang, maar hoe je het ziet.” – Alex de Vries, auteur, curator, adviseur
I like to attentively look at things that don't scream for attention.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Education
| 2016 | International Summerschool of Photography (ISSP) / Pelci, Kuldīga, LV |
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| 2013 – 2014 | Teachers degree in Visual Arts and Design, Academy Visual Arts, Tilburg, NL |
| 2005-2008 | Photography, AKV|St. Joost, Den Bosch/Breda, NL |
| 2003-2005 | Visual Arts, AKV|St. Joost, Den Bosch/Breda, NL |
Current & Upcoming
| 2024-2025 | Exhibition Hilvaria Studio’s / Hilvarenbeek, NL |
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Exhibitions selection
| 2023 solo | AIR Open studio exhibition / Allemans & Ateliers Tilburg |
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| 2020 solo | To pick up a stone / SEA Foundation / Tilburg, NL |
| 2020 solo | 108 meter mesh wall artwork of 35 images / commissioned by City Council / public space Spoorzone, Tilburg, NL |
| 2019 solo | SPACE PLACE Gallery / Nizjni Tagil, Ural, RU |
| 2018 solo | Silent Witness / part of project YMOI by Beh Chin Lau / Butterworth Fringe Festival, MY |
| 2018 solo | Cataract / Im Friese-TanzART / Kirschau, DE |
| 2024 group | Group exhibition ‘Index Naturae’ / Fotografia Europea 2024 / Reggio Emilia, IT |
| 2023 group | The Power of Photography, in Print / 9th Daegu Photo Biennale / Daegu Arts Center Gallery, KOR |
| 2023 group | OMNEFEST exhibition ‘Index Naturae’ / Villa Parco Bolasco – University of Padua, Castelfranco Veneto, IT / 2023 |
| 2023 group | Der Greif screening @Arles Rencontres de la Photographie / Nuit de L’Année / Etienne Paper Mill, Arles, FR |
| 2023 group | Der Greif ‘Past & Present’ exhibition + event / Pinakothek der Moderne & ZIRKA, Munich, DE |
| 2023 group | PEP ‘New Talents 2022’ exhibition / 254Forest Gallery Brussels |
| 2022 group | The Verge / Photobook exhibition / Belfast Photo Festival 2022 |
| 2022 group | Benefiet voor Brabant / Albert van Abbehuis, Eindhoven |
| 2021 group | SPACE PLACE Gallery / group exhibition / Nizjni Tagil, Ural, RU |
| 2021 group | Encontros da Imagem Discovery Awards / Braga, PT |
| 2021 group | Imago Lisboa Photo Festival / Lisbon, PT |
| 2021 group | Dutch Photobook Prize (longlisted) / exhibited at Podium deMess Photobook store, Fotofestival Naarden, NL |
| 2021 group | Ricardo Báez: Librofoto & La fotolibrería Holandesa with The Eriskay Connection, Caracas, VE |
| 2020 group | Benefit for Brabant / PARK, Tilburg, NL |
| 2019 group | Unmapped / in collab. with visual artist and writer Dorien de Wit, choreographer Katja Grässli, soundscape by Strijbos & Van Rijswijk / KunstLoc Brabant, LocHal, Tilburg, NL |
| 2017 group | Kunstruimte Willem Twee / Den Bosch, NL |
| 2017 group | I Book Show / Photobookshow.co.uk / Taiga, St. Petersburg, RU + The Brighton Studio, UK |
| 2017 group | Athens Photo Festival / Photobook exhibition / Benaki Museum, Athens, GR |
| 2017 group | Dutch Photobooks Exhibition / De Gele Loods, Fotofestival Naarden, NL |
| 2017 group | Buiten Kaders / bkkc, Tilburg, NL |
| 2017 group | WINTER SHORTLIST show / FotoFilmic PULP Gallery, Vancouver,CA |
| 2016 group | ISSP Final Exhibition / Kuldiga, LV |
| 2011 group | 50th anniversary Theaters Tilburg / Photographers collective Föhn |
| 2011 group | GEM / Summer exhibition ‘Anoniem Gekozen’ / The Hague, NL |
| 2008 group | Breda Photo ‘Heimat Hotel’ / Breda’s museum, NL |
| 2008 group | Exhibition ‘Fotoprijs 2008’ / Photo museum The Hague, NL |
Publications selection
| 2023 | Publication De Verdieping / image essay ‘Thuis in de straat?’ / CAST |
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| 2023 | Index Naturae / catalogue with exhibition / OMNE-Skinnerbox |
| 2023 | PEP#12 catalogue with exhibition |
| 2020 | To pick up a stone / photobook / Publisher The Eriskay Connection |
| 2016 | Anchors / photobook / Publisher The Eriskay Connection |
| 2011 | Hommage / 6 photographers inspired by Theatre Tilburg |
| 2010 | Verborgen Stad / collab. with Martijn Honselaar (Ontwerplab) / Publisher The Eriskay Connection |
| 2008 | Katendrecht 2 / AKV|St.Joost |
Awards and Mentions
| 2024 | Shortlisted for main exhibitions / Athens Photo Festival 2024 |
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| 2022 | Shortlisted and selected for exhibition / To pick up a stone / Belfast Photo Festival 2022 |
| 2021 | Longlist Dutch Photobook Prize / To pick up a stone / Fotofestival Naarden |
| 2021 | Shortlisted for exhibition / To pick up a stone / Belfast Photo Festival 2021 |
| 2021 | Special mention To pick up a stone / Urbanautica Institute Awards 2020 |
| 2020 | Special mention Anchors / Urbanautica Institute Awards 2019 |
| 2007 | Nomination De Fotoprijs 2008 / Verbond van verzekeraars |
Works in collections
| FotoFilmic PULP Gallery, Vancouver (CA), Ahorn Books Archive (DE), Photobookshow Biblioteka, London (UK), De Pietri Artphilein Foundation, Lugano (CH), Pennings Foundation library, Eindhoven (NL) Baltic+ Centre for Contemporary Art library, Gateshead (UK) and private collections. |
Projects and Residencies selection
| 2023 | AIR / Allemans & Ateliers Tilburg, NL |
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| 2022 | Production new work in textile / in collaboration with Textiellab, Tilburg, NL |
| 2019 | AIR Joya Arte + Ecología / Parque natural de Sierra María-Los Vélez, Almería, ES |
| 2018 | project YMOI / photo series Silent Witness + scenography dance piece Shou / collab.with Beh Chin Lau, Butterworth, MY |
| 2018 | project Cataract & AIR / TanzART, DE / Cultuurhuis de Warande, BE / DepenDance DansBrabant, NL / collab. choreographer Katja Grässli, cultural philosopher Marc Colpaert and dancers Beh Chin Lau + Natalie Wagner |
| 2017 | project (TE)STIL, collab. with choreographer Katja Grässli, Tilburg, NL |
| 2017 | AIR Can Serrat, El Bruc, Barcelona, ES |
| 2015 | AIR Tissardmine / Sahara desert / Rissani, MA |
| 2013 | AIR Starry Night Retreat / T or C, New Mexico, US |
| 2012 | AIR & project Krot of Kans / CBK Zeeland, NL |
| 2010 | Research project Verborgen Stad, collab. with architectural firm Ontwerplab |
Grants selection
| 2021 | Perspectiefbudget Kunstloc Brabant + Provincie Noord-Brabant / grant for production new work in textile |
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| 2021 | MakersfondsPlus |
| 2020 | Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Noord-Brabant / subsidy for photobook To pick up a stone |
| 2020 | Impulsgelden Provincie Noord-Brabant+Kunstloc / subsidy for photobook To pick up a stone |
| 2019 | Makersfonds / Project subsidy When is a mountain |
| 2018 | Impulsgelden / Stil Geluid, collab. with Katja Grässli (MoveToMeet) |
| 2018 | Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds NB / Project subsidy 2 (TE)STIL, collab. with Katja Grässli |
| 2017 | Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds NB / Project subsidy 1 (TE)STIL, collab. with Katja Grässli |
| 2017 | Makersfonds Tilburg / Project subsidy (TE)STIL, collab. with choreographer Katja Grässli |
| 2017 | Partial grant AIR Can Serrat, El Bruc, Barcelona (ES) |
| 2016 | Impulsgelden bkkc + provincie Noord-Brabant / subsidy for photobook Anchors |
| 2009 | Stimuleringsfonds voor architectuur / Project subsidy Belvedère, collab. with Ontwerplab |
Teaching and Public mediation
| 2014 – today | Van Abbemuseum / professional museum guide & teacher |
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| 2022 – today | CiST Culture in School Tilburg / coach, talent development & cultural education |
| 2010 – 2023 | SintLucas Eindhoven + Boxtel / teacher photography and creative processes |
Other
| 2017 – 2020 | supported by private fund AuntArt |
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| 2016 – 2019 | artistic partner at Foundation MoveToMeet |
| 2008 – 2015 | member of Fotografencollectief Föhn |
Commissioned
| CAST, 2College EOA Oisterwijk, CiST, City council Tilburg, commissioned artwork for City council Tilburg, Cultuurkantine, Stichting Goretti/Factorium, |
| Stichting de Vrolijkheid, Strijbos & Van Rijswijk, Kijk op Kunst, Jan Couwenberg Architectuur, Stichting To The Etch, Vervoort Meubelen, |
| Studio Dara, SLN International, Van de Ven Bouw en Ontwikkeling, Mariska van Zutven Fotografieprojecten, Theaters Tilburg, CAST, |
| Parochie Frater Andreas, City council Tilburg in collab. with Ontwerplab, Architectural firm Ontwerplab, Public Library M-B |