About | Vivian Ammerlaan

Photo by Wouter le Duc (2021)

Vivian Ammerlaan (1994, The Netherlands)
Based in Huis van de Fotografie, Westersingel 101 Rotterdam
info@vivianammerlaan.com | instagram | newsletter

My work is my personal search to depict the sublime: the feeling of awe and terror. It is about nature that can’t be put into word or image because it is of enormous and undying beauty. I get inspired by overwhelming landscapes and work with digital and analogue photography, video and installations.

To give image to things that can’t be put into image, is impossible. Somehow this inspires me to make work about these things, knowing it is doomed to fail. With materials, I try to create impressions of landscapes and elements. Sometimes I have a specific idea about what I want to create, but usually the materials I use determine the image.

There is a paradox in creating wilderness and untouched places with my own hands. I believe that without this, my work would not exist. It underlines the inability of portraying this subject.

Education
2012 - 2016 | Bachelor of Photography - AKV St.Joost, Breda NL

Solo exhibitions (a selection)
2023 | Brabantse Nieuwe, Het Noordbrabants Museum Den Bosch
2021-2022 | Het landschap dat ik ken, iCOON Hoek van Holland
2018 | Waanplekken, Museum Kranenburgh, Bergen
2017 | Galerie DeelenArt, Rotterdam

Group / duo exhibitions (a selection)
2023 | Hudson Art Department, North Sea Jazz Festival Rotterdam
2023 | BLACK SANDS, Huis van de Fotografie Rotterdam
2022-2023 | MINIM.AAL, iCOON Hoek van Holland
2022 | THERESI ART_03 and ART_05, Art[s] Gallery Simone Jansen, Noordwijk
2022 | As The World Turns, Debsaysyes at Huis van de Fotografie, Rotterdam
2022 | Rotterdam Photo Festival
2022 | The New Current, Rotterdam
2022 | Going Places, Het Archief, Rotterdam
2022 | Constructies van verlangen, Foundation B.a.d., Rotterdam
2022 | HVDF Collectief, Huis van de Fotografie, Rotterdam
2021 | Het Zoete Leven (How Sweet Life Is), Debsaysyes at Huis van de Fotografie, Rotterdam
2020 | Launch, Huis van de Fotografie, Rotterdam
2020 | Zwischenräume, Debsaysyes at Rosalux Berlin (DE)
2020 | Echte Troostkunst, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
2019 | KunstDok Schiermonnikoog + UMC Groningen
2019 | Galerie Noord Groningen
2019 | Festival OFF Naarden
2019 | Terra Incognita TAC Eindhoven
2018 | LichtKunstGouda
2018 | LekArt Culemborg
2018 | Vruchtbare Grond Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
2018 | Opium Torenkamer Expo Amsterdam
2017 | Licht, Galerie Pouloeuff Naarden
2017 | Kunst10daagse Bergen
2017 | Senses, Galerie DeelenArt Rotterdam
2017 | WKNDX Electron Breda
2017 | Museumnacht 010 Galerie DeelenArt + Flowerdales Rotterdam
2016 | Ongekend Talent, Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam
2016 | FreshCACAO, Cacaofabriek Helmond
2016 | Chambres de Schie, Photo Festival Schiedam
2016 | Graduationshow Photography AKV|St.Joost Breda

Nominations / prizes
2018 | Nomination Kunst.nl Fotografie Award 2018
2017 | Winner Rabo Ontdekt Talent-prijs Kunst10daagse Bergen
2016 | Winner Young Talent Award Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam
2016 | Nomination St. Joost Penning

Residencies
2019 | Artist Residency Schiermonnikoog
2018 | Artist Residency De Torenkamer Opium Amsterdam

Talks
2019 | Artist Talks at Kunstenaars aan Zee - KuZhuis Hoek van Holland
2018 | Pitch at De Donkere Kamer - LantarenVenster Rotterdam
2018 | Artist Talk at Aan Tafel - A Tale of a Tub Rotterdam
2017 | Interview at Nadorst - Chassé Theater Breda

Collections
Rijksoverheid
iCOON, Hoek van Holland
LeasePlan NL
and several private art collections

Other related activities
2020 - present | Huis van de Fotografie, co-founder and project team
2016 - 2020 | Kunst in de Kroeg, project team
2016 - 2018 | Kunsthuis18, exhibition committee and board
2016 - 2017 | De Kracht van Rotterdam, junior projectmanager

Documentation photos on this website by Sabine van der Vooren, unless stated otherwise.