Bio
Frans van Hoek (1995, ZA/NL) (he/him) is an artist based in The Hague, NL. Growing up in South Africa’s Karoo desert, his practice explores phenomena by layering multiple temporal lenses. With a background in physics and clinical psychology, Frans attempts to integrate these forces through a site-specific practice. Through themes of pre/post-history, the macro-flows of physics, micro-flows of poetic human moments, he often uses humour or contradicting materials to search for a synthesis, a sparkling alignment shimmering through.
Recently, he has enjoyed taking viewers out of the gallery space and into nature itself, such as with self-help kite flying lessons, or a rural camera obscura cinema on the border of Estonia and Russia, watching the glimmers on the water seperating the two. By experiencing natural forces directly, he believes we come to understand the mechanics that govern our bodies, communities, and world.
education
2014 BSc Physics. University of Cape Town, ZA
2014-2018 BA Clinical Psychology. Brown University, Providence, USA. Ruth Simmons Scholarship.
2019 - 2024 BFA Fine Art. Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
2023 Erasmus, InSitu (Site-Specific). Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, BE.
residencies
2023 Ponte d’Arte, Ponte da Mucela, PT
2023 NART Venice Embassy Residency, Narva, EE
2024 Ores Residency, Oro, FI
group exhibitions
2024 “Graduation Show 2024”, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
“In The Meantime,”, Kiekencentrale, Antwerp, BE
“Meander”, Billytown, The Hague, NL
2023 “Yes Chance”, KASK, Antwerp, BE
“Nothing happens until you make it happen”, NART, Narva, EE
“I Still Care”, Eurocenter Zuidas, Amsterdam, NL
“Everything That Grows Underground”, WEST, The Hague, NL
“Grenzenloos”, Galerie Windows 47, Haarlem, NL
“Hortus Conclusus”, KASK Wintergarden, Antwerp, BE
2022 “But s/he endorsed the sheen”, Vrij Paleis, Amsterdam, NL
“Mmmmmmmarshmallow Cube”, Exhibition Research Lab, The Hague, NL
“(Post)human Imaginaries”, National Archive, The Hague, NL
“An Idle Escape“, NEST, The Hague, NL
2018 “Wanderers Across a Sea”, RISD, Providence, USA