Born 1962, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
The large-scale panoramic photographs by Ellen Kooi challenge us to view the world as a dramatic narrative. She wants us to seek the border between fantasy and reality. At first glance, the people that inhabit these panoramas of (mostly Dutch) landscapes seem to be at the mercy of their surroundings. But if we look at these pictures more carefully we see a more complex relationship, as the landscape almost responses to its inhabitants. The displays of nature we see are a symbolic reflection of the inner turmoils, or indeed of the happiness of these people. In a way comparable to nineteenth century psychological portraits, Kooi tries to tell us about myths, chance encounters and our relationship with the outside world. But keeping this in mind, her works are as much concerned with the landscape as they are with the person. By forming close connections between themes set in our visual memory of history but never choosing a main focus, Kooi's works are suspenseful and hard to identify.
Fuji Crystal Archive, Diasec Anti-scratch, Reynobond
Ellen Kooi
Fuji Crystal Archive, Diasec Anti-scratch, Reynobond
Ellen Kooi
Solo/ duo exhibitions selection
2020 Geleend Land, solo in Torch Gallery Amsterdam
2019 Geleend Land, solo in Castellum Aqua, Bloemendaal, the Netherlands
Reflecting, duo exhibition with Alice Brasser, de Vishal, Haarlem, the Netherlands
2018 Being Places, solo at Torch Gallery, Amsterdam
Elements, Solo at Camara Oscura Galeria de Arte, Madrid
2016 Crossings, Catherine Clark Gallery, San Francisco, USA
Crossings, Torch Gallery, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2015 Undertones, at Musée de La Roche-sur-Yon, la Roche-sur-Yon, France
Docks Art Fair Lyon, solo presentation by Galerie Les Filles Du Calvaire
2014 Undertones, solo show at Centro de Arte Alcobendas (CAA), Madrid, Spain
AIPAD Photography Show (solo presentation by PPOW Gallery), New York
As it happens, Galerie Les Filles Du Calvaire, Paris, France
2013 Sables Mouvants, Lambertart, Le Fort de Mons-en-Baroeul, Lille, France
2012 Transparent days, Camara Oscura, Madrid, Spain
Next to me, Torch Gallery, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Recent Photography, Catharine Clark Gallery, San Francisco, USA
Luz Holandesa, Espacio Liquido, Gijon, Spain
2011 Out of Sight, PPOW Gallery, New York, USA
Ellen Kooi: Out of Sight, Le Château d’Eau, Toulouse, France
On the Other side of Twilight, duo-show with Astrid Kruse Jensen, Stedelijk Museum Den Bosch, the Netherlands
2010 Out of Sight/ Hors de Vue, Institut Néerlandais, Paris, France
Ellen Kooi, Photographies, Le centre Image/ Imatge, Orthez, France
2009 Borrowed Landscapes, part of Festival Off PhotoEspaña, Camara Oscura Gallery de Arte, Madrid, Spain
Fotowerken, de Willem III, Vlissingen, the Netherlands
Recent Work, Torch Gallery, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2008 Dentro por Fuera, (Within from without), soloshow, La Casa Encendida, Madrid, Spain
Recent Photography, soloshow, Espacio Liquido, Gijon, Spain
2006 Travaux Recents, duo show with Hans Op De Beeck, Les Filles du Calvaire, Paris, France
2005 Hold Still, Keep Moving IV, solo, Gallery Beaumontpublic, Luxemburg, Luxemburg
