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![Carbon Fossil]( "Carbon Fossil")
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![Ode aan de Oase]( "Ode aan de Oase")
infoSolo exhibition that stimulates greening in an imaginative way by telling stories about Utrecht's ecology.
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![The Bee Garden]( "The Bee Garden")
infoImage from the solo exhibition Ode aan de Oase, that stimulates greening in an imaginative way by telling stories about Utrecht's ecology.
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![The Wadi]( "The Wadi")
infoImage from the solo exhibition Ode aan de Oase, that stimulates greening in an imaginative way by telling stories about Utrecht's ecology.
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![Noiseless, Soundless]( "Noiseless, Soundless")
infoDuo exhibition with Bram Engelaar where I showed the Language Flights project and a spatial work that is reflected on the floor and ceiling.
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![Noiseless, Soundless]( "Noiseless, Soundless")
infoDetail of 'cou-cou' shown during the duo exhibition 'Noiseless, soundless'.
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![Upupa Epops]( "Upupa Epops")
infoUpupa Epops in the group exhibition Spark Birds & The Loneliness of Species at Buitenplaats Kasteel wijlre
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![Upupa Epops]( "Upupa Epops")
infoInstallation shot, Prospects 2023, Art Rotterdam
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![Upupa Epops Multiple]( "Upupa Epops Multiple")
infoMultiple made on occasion of the group exhibition Prospects 2023
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![Tourterelle]( "Tourterelle")
infoOutdoor installation on the arterial roads on the border, Watou Arts Festival 2023.
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![Zomertortel]( "Zomertortel")
infoOutdoor installation on the arterial roads on the border, Watou Arts Festival 2023.
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![Taalvlucht, Kunstenfestival Watou 2023]( "Taalvlucht, Kunstenfestival Watou 2023")
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![Oriole]( "Oriole")
infoPart of the project Taalvlucht for Kunstenfestival Watou
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!['tourr-tourr']( "'tourr-tourr'")
infoPart of project Taalvlucht for Kunstenfestival Watou
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In the spring of 2023 I invited inhabitants of Watou to talk to me about the interpretation of the sound of local birds like the Cuckoo, the Oriole and the European Turtle Dove. In a video with these inhabitants a few others like a forester, musicians and bar owners help me dissect their call and answer the question if they are rightly named after their sound. The video work I created is on show at Kunstenfestival Watou 2023 from July 1st till September 3rd.
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The video 'Upupa Epops' is part of the installation of the same name 'Upupa Epops' that was shown during Prospects 2023 at Art Rotterdam in which the artist playfully investigates the hoopoe, a bird that's named after the sound they make.
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![Carbon #3]( "Carbon #3")
infoOne of the photographs from the series Climate Stories, in collaboration with Museon Omniversum
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![Sunken Zuid-Beveland]( "Sunken Zuid-Beveland")
infoOne of the photographs from the series Climate Stories, in collaboration with Museon Omniversum
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![Climate Stories]( "Climate Stories")
infoInstallation view of Climate Stories for Museon-Omniversum
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![Climate Stories]( "Climate Stories")
infoInstallation view of Climate Stories for Museon-Omniversum
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![What's Flying There]( "What's Flying There")
infoWork that was on show at LAB22 during a duo show with Kenneth Moreno Kiernan
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![L'amie de l'estomac]( "L'amie de l'estomac")
infoThe 'lamie de l'estomac' series is a contrasting series about flora, in which I document special medicinal plants and cover images with common flowers.
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![Blueprint exhibition, Mien Ruys gardens Dedemsvaart]( "Blueprint exhibition, Mien Ruys gardens Dedemsvaart")
infoExhibition of The Butterfly Defect
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In the film The Butterfly Defect, I and Linus Kropp go in search of the influence of the Alcon Blue on our collective memory.
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![The Cycle #1]( "The Cycle #1")
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![The Cycle #2]( "The Cycle #2")
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![Blueprint, Mien Ruys garden Bergeijk]( "Blueprint, Mien Ruys garden Bergeijk")
infoExhibition of The Butterfly Defect
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![Blauwdruk, Mien Ruys garden Bergeijk]( "Blauwdruk, Mien Ruys garden Bergeijk")
infoExhibition of The Butterfly Defect
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![Floating Granite]( "Floating Granite")
infoFrom the project 'Here we weigh more, there we jump higher'
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![Contraction of law]( "Contraction of law")
infoFrom the project 'Here we weigh more, there we jump higher'
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![Here we weigh more, there we jump higher]( "Here we weigh more, there we jump higher")
infoGraduation installation 'Here we weigh more, there we jump higher'
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In the video "Here we weigh more, there we jump higher" (collaboration with the TNO) the locations in the Netherlands with a different percentage of gravity are detected and marked with signs. As artist Louisiana van Onna visits and marks the locations herself, she tries to bring scientific big topics closer to the inhabitants of the Netherlands.
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![We All Fell From the Sky installation shot]( "We All Fell From the Sky installation shot")
infoInstallation shot We all fell from the sky
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![Componenten der Leven]( "Componenten der Leven")
infoSculpture made out of recycled meteorite compounds found at the Rieskrater, Germany
Driven by both imaginative and analytical research, Louisiana reflects on the small or invisible stories in nature, with the ultimate goal of posing the similar question to the viewer and creating a sense of wonder.
Louisiana van Onna (1995, Amsterdam) is a visual artist who graduated from the Photography department at the Academy of Visual Arts, The Hague in 2019. She focuses on depicting hidden and invisible subjects in nature and science, such as gravity, bird onomatopoeias and the life cycle of a butterfly. Although these topics are small, they always represent larger themes such as climate change or the broken relationship between humans and nature. Her practice combines studio photography, textual research and the use of public spaces as exhibition locations or research locations. Her imaginative and investigative working methods aim to convey her fascination and involve the viewer in her work. The combination of constructed and documentary images form a playful approach to urgent themes. Her collaboration with scientists and biologists stimulates the relationship between information/education and wonder.
Websites
Social media
Curriculum vitae
Education
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2019 - 2020Fotodok Lighthouse alumni coaching trajectory Fotodok Utrecht
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2015 - 2019BA Photography Den Haag, Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten diploma
exhibitions
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2025Where Soil Meets Water Meets Sky Galerie Esther Ferron The Hague, Netherlands Where Soil Meets Water Meets Sky - Suzette Bousema, Chiel Lubbers & Louisiana van Onna A unique group exhibition by three extraordinary makers. Their works have a very unique signature, while their investigative approach and highly topical themes unmistakably connect them. About the interwoven relationship between soil, water and air in living ecosystems. Group
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2025Ode aan de Oase De Griftsteede Utrecht Utrecht, Netherlands Solo exhibition that stimulates greening in an imaginative way by telling stories about Utrecht's ecology. www.utrechtnatuurlijk.nl/exposities/ Solo
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2025To build a crinkle crankle wall Anna Spaces Javastraat The Hague, Netherlands In the group exhibition 'To build a crinkle crankle wall' artists investigate the concept of 'crinkle crankle wall' by bending and moving fixed principles through formal language, breaking open science or intervening in growth processes. With Majda Vidakovic, Chiel Lubbers, Scott van Kampen Wieling and Louisiana van Onna. Group
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2024Ode aan de Oase Stadhuis Gemeente Utrecht Utrecht, Netherlands Solo exhibition that stimulates greening in an imaginative way by telling stories about Utrecht's ecology. Solo
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2024De Vries en Zoon nodigen uit: Eady van Acker en Louisiana van Onna Gallery Kapper en Kunst Den Haag, Netherlands Duo
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2024Kloof United '24 Kunsthal Kloof Utrecht, Netherlands Group exhibition presenting new work by all artists who exhibited work the previous year. Group
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2023Prospects 2023 Van Nelle Factory, Art Rotterdam Rotterdam, Netherlands Groupshow Prospects 2023 of all selected artists who received Mondriaan Start grand www.mondriaanfonds.nl/activiteiten/prospects/ Group
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2023Noiseless, soundless Kunsthal Kloof Utrecht, Netherlands Duo exhibition with Bram Engelaar Duo
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2023Spark Birds & The Loneliness of Species Buitenplaats Kasteel Wijlre Wijlre, Netherlands In this exhibition, artists focus on the relationship between people and nature, and in particular their own Spark Bird. kasteelwijlre.nl/nl/tentoonstellingen/spark-birds/ Group
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2023Kunstenfestival Watou 2023 Kunstenfestival Watou Watou, Belgium Indoor and outdoor exhibition through the village of Watou in which artists take over old factory buildings, homes and public space. www.kunstenfestivalwatou.be/nl/watou-2023/kom-pozi-ci-o/ Group
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2022Climate Stories Museon Omniversum The Hague, Netherlands Solo exhibition on the theme of climate change www.museon-omniversum.nl/nieuwsitem/buitenexpositie-klimaatverhalen Solo
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2022What's flying there LAB22 The Hague, Netherlands Duo exhibition with Kenneth Moreno Kiernan, where I showed the research into bird sounds titled 'What's flying there', that I developed during the Patchwork residency in Watou that summer. www.instagram.com/lab23_dh/ Duo
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2022Blueprint Gardens of Mien Ruys Dedemsvaart, Netherlands Exhibition of the project The Butterfly Defect combined with a selection of 5 cyanotype workshops using the plants and flowers from the Mien Ruys garden Solo
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2022Future of Nature Wageningen University & Research Wageningen, Netherlands In the groupshow Future of Nature all participants of the by MIAP supported Future of Nature collective join forces and show their photographic works. Group
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2021Blueprint Diamond Greenhouse Mien Ruys garden, Bergeijk, Netherlands Exhibition of the project The Butterfly Defect combined with a selection of 5 cyanotype workshops using the plants and flowers from the Mien Ruys garden Solo
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2021Wheel of Fortune Tiny Art Gallery #2 The Hague, Netherlands Work from the project The Butterfly Defect Group
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2021Natural archive of things Koninginnedag Expositie The Hague, Netherlands Contribution in the form of a natural archive of things placed on a personalized blanket Group
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2019Pole to Pole Lighthouse Texel de Cocksdorp, Texel, Netherlands Solo show Pole to Pole commissioned by Lighthouse Texel www.vuurtorentexel.nl/mededelingen/pole-to-pole-in-de-vuurtoren/ Solo
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2019Push It To the Limit graduation teaser Melkweg Amsterdam, Netherlands Group show of KABK Photography class of 2019 'Push it To the Limit' www.melkweg.nl/nl/agenda/push-it-to-the-limit-24-05-2019 Group
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2018
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2018NOUN presents 'Good Work' the Grey Space in the Middle The Hague, Netherlands Group show of KABK Photography www.kabk.nl/agenda/noun-presents-good-work Group
Projects
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2023
Taalvlucht Kunstenfestival Watou Europe, Netherlands When Louisiana van Onna meets nature guide Guido Quaghebeur during her residency in Watou. The two go out together, looking for the birds in Watou. Such as the summer dove, with its typical turr-turr-turr song. It resulted in the installation “Language Flight”, in which she focuses on these birds, the language border where the project originated and the meaning that residents and visitors give to this.
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2023
Upupa Epops Art Rotterdam/Mondriaan Fonds The Hague, Netherlands In the Upupa Epops project I investigate the process of naming birds named after their sound. The hoopoe, whose names phonetically describe the sound these birds make, is the starting point. The direct link between naming and sound production is also referred to as 'onomatopoeia'. I'm researching how the hoopoe gets different names in different languages because language influences how you hear something. Together with etymologists, people with different language backgrounds and biologists, I investigate how they perceive the sound and wonder: can you describe the sound of these birds in such a way that there can be a universal name that works in every language? With an installation of photography and video, I take the viewer along in my quest to overcome language barriers and make these birds universal.
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2022
I spy, I spy Into the Great wide open Vlieland, Netherlands intothegreatwideopen.nl/post/ik-zie Photographers Sabine Rovers and Louisiana van Onna went on a journey of discovery with children at Into The Great Wide Open. Wander around for a few minutes, packed with a magnifying glass and camera. What catches the eye of the kids and why do they like something? A small project with a big result.
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2020
The Butterfly Defect Vlinderstichting the Netherlands, Netherlands louisianavanonna.com/the-butterfly-defect/ In the photography project The Butterfly Defect, Louisiana dives into the natural value of the endangered Alcon Blue; a beautiful bouncy bright blue butterfly. Years ago they were seen in huge amounts flying over wet moorland landscapes all over the Netherlands, but in the last 30 years the Alcon Blue has declined by 97%. A previously familiar face is slowly disappearing from our collective memory. By highlighting its outstanding cycle with the Bell gentian and myrmica ants through a photographically constructed project and showing its connection with nature, I try to create an icon of biodiversity out of an almost forgotten butterfly.
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2019
Pole to Pole Ecomare Texel Texel, Netherlands louisianavanonna.com/pole-to-pole/ A photography project commissioned by Lighthouse Texel and Ecomare Texel on the Arctic Tern. Shown at Lighthouse Texel from March 4th until Ocobter 4th, 2019. What if we had to live without GPS and only trust on our inner compass and guidance of nature, just like the arctic tern? By diving into the capabilities of the arctic tern, the only bird that migrates from pole to pole, photographer Louisiana van Onna makes the viewer wonder about this special migrant and confront you with the concept of navigation. By showing the installation in the top of the Lighthouse in Texel, presented in circle (360 degrees) shape around the top, you’ll be taken by the hand to travel along with the migrating arctic tern that migrates all around the world. The viewer is encouraged to look at nature with a different perspective, just like a bird.
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2019
Here we weigh more, there we jump higher Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, Den Haag The Hague, Netherlands louisianavanonna.com/here-we-weigh-more-there-we-jump-higher/ In the interdisciplinary project 'Here we weigh more, there we jump higher', I am investigating the flexibility of a constant force; gravity. Of the four fundamental forces of nature, gravity is the one we're most intimate, yet least understood. Being inspired by the fluidity of the force, I investigated the difference in gravity throughout the Netherlands. Focussed on the Bouguer gravity anomaly - a theory that states that we weigh more in Noord-Brabant than in Drente - I put signs on the locations in the Netherlands with an abnormal amount of gravity. The signs stay here until the gravity changes again.
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2018
We all fell from the sky Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, Den Haag Nördlingen, Germany louisianavanonna.com/we-all-fell-from-the-sky/ For the past few years, multiple space organizations have been working on the question if life could have been created by a meteorite impact. Therefore, scientists are busy unravelling the formula of creating life. Meteorite impacts are one of the most destructive forces of the universe, however they also create something new. There exists a parallel between the fertile soil created by the impact and the common idea that meteorites contain bacterial life forms that once might have created life on earth. Being inspired by the main character Alfred of the book Beyond Sleep by Willem Frederik Hermans, I decided to follow the steps of a geologist and went on a journey to the Rieskrater (Germany), a meteorite crater from millions of years ago, to investigate the traces left by the impact. With me, one big question arose: Did we fall from the sky?
International exchanges/Residencies
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2022Kunstenfestival Watou Watou, Belgium Artist in residence trajectory Patchwork during Kunstenfestival Watou www.kunstenfestivalwatou.be/nl/
Commissions
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2022Climate Stories Museon, Den Haag The Hague, Netherlands Art commission to depict and open up the old collection of Museon through the subject of Climate Change captured in 10 series of images www.museon.nl/nl finished
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2021Koninginnedag Hgtomi Rosa The Hague, Netherlands Catalogue design, concept and photography for the Queensday exhibition at Hgtomi Rosa organized by Jan Dirk Adams and Constantijn Scholten finished
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2020Early Ed particulier Eindhoven, Netherlands Design and photography for the research book Early Ed, in which the early years of photographer Ed van der Elsken's are being examined. Research/text by Edwin van Onna, published by Lecturis lecturis.nl/product/early-ed/ finished
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2019Pole to pole Vuurtoren Texel Texel, Netherlands Photographic project commissioned by Lighthouse Texel and Ecomare Texel on the Arctic Tern. Shown at Lighthouse Texel from March 4th until Ocobter 4th, 2019. What if we had to live without GPS and only trust on our inner compass and guidance of nature, just like the arctic tern? By diving into the capabilities of the arctic tern, photographer Louisiana van Onna makes the viewer wonder about this special migrant and confront you with the concept of navigation. By showing the installation in the top of the Lighthouse in Texel, presented in circle (360 degrees) shape around the top, you’ll be taken by the hand to travel along with the migrating arctic tern that migrates all around the world. The viewer is encouraged to look at nature with a different perspective, just like a bird. www.vuurtorentexel.nl/#uitzicht1 finished
Sales/Works in collections
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2019Floating Granite Private collector Fleurie Kloostra Melkweg Gallery, Amsterdam, Nederland
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2019Floating Granite Private collector Ger-Jan de Gilde Melkweg Gallery, Amsterdam, Nederland
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2019Floating Granite Private collector Julia van der Laan Melkweg Gallery, Amsterdam, Nederland
Publications
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2020Early Ed Book Lecturis Edwin van Onna Eindhoven, Netherlands Responsible for the design, image editing and photography of the book Early Ed. A book on the early years of Dutch photographer Ed van der Elsken
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2019Here we weigh more, there we jump higher Book Louisiana van Onna Louisiana van Onna The Hague, Netherlands louisianavanonna.com/publication-here-we-weigh-more-there-we-jump-higher/ Self published artist book graduation project
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2019de Vogelstreken 2019 Vogelwacht Delft Hans Zweekhorst Delft, Netherlands Research book of Birdwatch Delft in which the project Pole to Pole is mentioned.
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2019Push it to the limit graduation catalogue Catalog Push It To the Limit Push It To the Limit The Hague, Netherlands Graduation catalogue of BA Photography, Royal Acadamy of Art The Hague, 2019
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2019Photographs from bird perspective Texelse Courant Salko de Wolf Texel, Netherlands www.texelsecourant.nl/reader/23389/75125/fotos-vanuit-perspectief-vogel Mentioning of project Pole to Pole in Texelse Courant due to solo show in Lighthouse Texel
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2018Acid Salt Catalogue Catalog Angela Donskaia Angela Donskaia Sexyland, Amsterdam, Netherlands www.facebook.com/events/1082132071956461/ Catalogue of group show on Acid Salt at Sexyland, Amsterdam.
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2018We all fell from the Sky Book Louisiana van Onna Louisiana van Onna The Hague, Netherlands louisianavanonna.com/we-all-fell-from-the-sky-2/ Artist book of project 'We All fell from the Sky' in edition of 20
reviews
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2023Spark Birds & The Loneliness of Species Newspaper De Witte Raaf Belgium, Belgium www.dewitteraaf.be/artikel/spark-birds-the-loneliness-of-species/ Review about the work of me and other artists during the exhibition Spark Birds & The Loneliness of Species.
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2023'Turr Turr Turr' Newspaper Edith Doove in De Standaard Belgium Interview on my project Taalvlucht, shown during Kunstenfestival Watou
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2023Successful composition with turtle doves, frog croaks and bomb craters: Watou arts festival finds new breath Newspaper De Morgen Belgium www.demorgen.be/tv-cultuur/geslaagde-compositie-met-zomertortels-kikkergekwaak-en-bomkraters-kunstenfestival-watou-vindt-nieuwe-adem~b1049c54/?referrer=https://www.google.com/ Recensie on artists at Kunstenfestival Watou 2023
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2020Louisiana van Onna and the question of visualising the climate crisis Website Ellie Howard London, United Kingdom www.1854.photography/2020/11/louisiana-van-onna-and-the-question-of-visualising-the-climate-crisis/ Interview by Ellie Howard for British Journal of Photography
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2019KABK Graduation Show 2019 Website Jegens & Tevens The Hague, Netherlands jegensentevens.nl/2019/07/kabk-graduation-show-2019/ Review on KABK Graduation Show 2019
Awards and grants
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2024PRO Invest PRO Invest, Stroom Den Haag The Hague, Netherlands
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2024Amarte Fund Research Amarte Fonds The Hague, Netherlands
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2022Pictoright 2022 Grant for upcoming photographers
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2021Kunstenaar Start Mondriaan Fonds Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
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2020Future of Nature MIAP The Hague, Netherlands Grand for the ongoing project 'The Butterfly Effect' by MIAP
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2019Subsidie Makers regeling 2019 Gemeente Den Haag The Hague, Netherlands Granted the Subsidie Makersregeling 2019 from Municipality The Hague for a new collaboration with Museon
Secondary art-related activities
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2025 - --Floormanager Depot Boijmans van Beuningen On-going
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2024 - --Art Mediator at Radius On-going
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2022 - 2022Art teacher at Sense of Place
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2022 - 2025Supervisor Museum Voorlinden
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2020 - --Production assistent Fotodok Book Club On-going
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2019 - 2021Production assistant Fieldtrip BA Photography year 2
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2018 - 2022Tourguide at Clingenbosch Sculpture Garden