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, a rural camera obscura cinema on the border of Estonia and Russia, watching the glimmers on the water seperating the two, or a marathon to the mental asylum through the hills of van Gogh. By experiencing natural forces directly, he believes we come to understand the mechanics that govern our bodies, communities, and world.
education
2019 - 2024 BFA Fine Art. Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
2023 Erasmus, InSitu (Site-Specific). Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, BE.
2014-2018 BA Clinical Psychology. Brown University, Providence, USA.
2014 BSc Physics. University of Cape Town, ZA
residencies
2024 Het Resort Midseason, Groningen, NL
2024 Ores Residency, Oro, FI
2023 NART Venice Embassy Residency, Narva, EE
2023 Ponte d’Arte, Ponte da Mucela, PT
programs
2024 Kunstpodium T, Master/Apprentice Program, Tilburg, NL
2024 Cacaofabriek, Fresh Cacao Talent Program, Helmond, NL
2023 INCO, Social Entrepreneurship Incubator Program, NL
group exhibitions
2025
“HYPERPOLYP”, Kunstpodium T, Tilburg, NL
“Stigter van Doesburg & Martin van Zomeren”, ArtIsland, IJmuiden, NL.
“Please RSVP”, the_servers, The Hague, NL
“Carts Before Horses”, Stigter van Doesburg, Amsterdam, NL
“Fresh Cacao”, Cacaofabriek, Helmond, NL
2024
“Between the Lanes”, Het Resort, Groningen, NL
“De Wasstraat”, NAP+ Art Fair, Amsterdam, NL
“In The Meantime,” Kiekencentrale, Antwerp, BE
“Graduation Show 2024”, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
“In The Meantime,”, Kiekencentrale, Antwerp, BE
“Meander”, Billytown, The Hague, NL
“Frans van Hoek & Sigrid Spierenburg”, Maldoror Gallery, 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
“(Post)human Imaginaries”, National Archive, The Hague, NL
“An Idle Escape”, NEST, The Hague, NL
“Mmmmmmmarshmallow Cube”, Exhibition Research Lab, The Hague, NL