ABOUT
Artist statement
My work stems from a fascination with place. We cannot (physically) exist without the space we inhabit. I’m fascinated by places people create, especially personal spaces; the ones where people dwell. But I’m also captivated by places which are open, vast and ungraspable, where man is void, like deserts and mountain landscapes. I like the thought we as human beings might not be all that important, and how wondrous it is we dó experience ourselves in this way and that this is reflecting in the way we take up space in the world and on the earth.
I like to attentively look at things that don’t scream for attention. To me photographing is a way to seek stillness in the outer world as well as in my inner world. With my work I want to invite people to pause and be still for a moment, literally and figuratively.
Photo by Kazumi Sakurai
“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
“Den Boer verstaat de kunst om op een ingetogen manier een groot verhaal fotografisch te verbeelden. Niets is teveel, nergens is er sprake van poespas of opsmuk. Met een heldere beeld keuze, evenwichtige compositie en kadrering creëert ze een sterk esthetisch beeld. In haar foto’s ontbreken mens en dier. De plaatsen en plekken die ze verbeeldt ademen een sfeer van onbeweeglijkheid uit maar het zijn geen stillevens; het leven speelt zich af aan de achterkant, buiten het gezichtsveld in de weerspiegeling van de ramen, om de bocht of achter de coulissen. Den Boer laat ruimte voor interpretatie aan de toeschouwer.” – Yvonne van der Velden, curator Willem Twee Kunstruimte Den Bosch, projectleider, 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
| 2023 group | PEP ‘New Talents 2022’ exhibition / 254Forest Gallery Brussels / opening January 2023 |
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| 2023 group | OMNEFEST Exhibition “Learning from Nature” / Villa Parco Bolasco – University of Padua, Castelfranco Veneto, IT / 2023 |
Exhibitions selection
| 2020 solo | To pick up a stone / SEA Foundation / Tilburg, NL |
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| 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 |
| 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
| 2020 | To pick up a stone / photobook / Publisher The Eriskay Connection |
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| 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
| 2022 | Shortlisted and selected for exhibition / To pick up a stone / Belfast Photo Festival 2022 |
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| 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
| 2019 | AIR Joya Arte + Ecología / Parque natural de Sierra María-Los Vélez, Almería, ES |
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| 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 | project & AIR 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
| 2010 – today | SintLucas Eindhoven + Boxtel / (guest) teacher photography and creative processes |
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| 2014 – today | Van Abbemuseum / professional museum guide |
| 2022 – today | Culture in School Tilburg / coach |
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
| City council Tilburg, commissioned artwork for City council Tilburg, Cultuurkantine, Gemeente Tilburg, 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 |