ARTIST STATEMENT
“Stories help us understand other perspectives. By welcoming the viewer to a multitude of worlds I aim to increase our ability to connect and coexist.”
BIO
Dirk Hardy (born 01989, Boxtel, The Netherlands) explores the complexity of life in an idiosyncratic and empathic way. He creates meticulously constructed and socially engaged tableaux that shine light on human existence. In the creation of his worlds he fuses his imagination, personal memories and true events into ‘purposeful fiction’.
As a child, Hardy dreamed of becoming an architect - to design places and spaces for people to live in. He studied Architecture at the Eindhoven University of Technology (NL) and in 2010 turned to Photography at the Willem de Kooning Academy (NL).
Hardy lives and works in The Hague (NL). In 2019 at Photo Basel (Switzerland) Hardy had his first international exhibition showing Void. In 2021, after 3 years in the making, Hardy exhibited Vivarium for the first time at the York Art Gallery (UK) as nominee for the Aesthetica Art Prize (UK). That same year he was selected for Futures Photography, a European platform for young photography talent. Since then, Vivarium has been exhibited at various venues in the Netherlands, Germany, the UK and Luxembourg.
Recent exhibitions include UNSEEN Amsterdam Art Fair (2023), Noorderlicht Groningen (2023) and Nederlands Fotomuseum (2022). Hardy’s work is part of various (private) collections, including the collection of Museum LAM, Lisse (NL) and the AkzoNobel Art Collection (NL).
EDUCATION
2010-2014
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Photography, Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam, NL
2014
Minor in Critical Theory, Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam, NL
2007-2010
Architecture, University of Technology, Eindhoven, NL
INTERNSHIPS
2013
Pieter Henket, New York City, NY, USA
2013
Boom Productions Inc, New York City, NY, USA
AWARDS & GRANTS
2023
Stichting Oog op de Natuur / Eye on Nature Foundation, Grant
The Netherlands
2021
BBA Gallery Photography Prize, 2nd Prize
Berlin, Germany
2021
Futures Photography, talent, 2021
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2021
Aesthetica Art Prize, nomination shortlist
York, United Kingdom
2021
Stokroos Foundation, grant.
2021
Stroom Foundation, grant.
2020
Prix Photoforum, nomination longlist
Photoforum Pasquart, Bienne, Switzerland
2015
Art Prize Binnenmaas, 1st Prize
Binnenmaas, The Netherlands
2015
Henri Winkelman Award, nomination
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2014
NEW Dutch Photography Talent, cover award
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2014
Fontanel Dutch Design Talent, award
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2014
Drempelprijs Graduation Show Award, nomination
Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam, NL
EXHIBITIONS
2023
Noorderlicht International Photo Festival
Akerk, Groningen, The Netherlands
2023
Solo exhibition: UNSEEN Amsterdam Art Fair
Rutger Brandt Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2023
Solo exhibition: Vivarium
Rutger Brandt Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2022
Solo exhibition: Vivarium
Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2022
Group exhibition: Small is Beautiful XL
Flowers Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2022
Solo exhibition: Vivarium
Leica Gallery Konstanz, Germany
2022
Group exhibition: PAN Amsterdam Art Fair
Rutger Brandt Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2022
Group exhibition: Laurent Germain Collection
Art Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2022
Group exhibition: EXPO Chicago Art Fair
Rutger Brandt Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
2022
Group exhibition: The Pink Edition
Rutger Brandt Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2021
Group exhibition: Vivarium
BBA Gallery Photography Prize, Kühlhaus, Berlin, Germany
2021
Solo exhibition: Libertas, Clay, Void, Vivarium
MOYA Museum of Young Art, Oosterhout, The Netherlands
2021
Group exhibition: Vivarium, Aesthetica Art Prize Museum Exhibition
York Art Gallery, York, United Kingdom
2021
Solo exhibition: Void
Timișoara, Romania
2021
Solo exhibition: Void
Cluj Napoca, Romania
2019
Solo exhibition: Void, Photo Basel Art Fair
Basel, Switzerland
2015
Group exhibition: Void, Dutch Ministry of Finance
The Hague, The Netherlands
2015
Group exhibition: Clay, Binnenmaas Art Prize
Binnenmaas, The Netherlands
2014
Group exhibition: Clay, Cokkie Snoei Gallery
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2014
Graduation show: Clay, Willem de Kooning Academy
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2013
Group exhibition: Libertas, GUP New Dutch Photography Talent
Amsterdam, The Netherlands