Artist: Jan von Holleben

I'm choosing Jan von Holleben as my artist this week because I think he is super creative in his work and that is something that I need. After really getting into work for my project I'm feeling kind of lack luster about my ideas and feel in need of inspiration as to how to take this project to the next level.

Born in 1977 in Cologne and brought up in the southern German countryside, Jan von Holleben lived most of his youth in an alternative commune and identifies a strong connection between the development of his photographic work and the influence of his parents, a cinematographer and child therapist. At the age of 13, he followed his father’s photographic career by picking up a camera and experimenting with all sorts of „magical tricks“, developing his photographic imagination and skills with friends and family and later honing his technique in commercial settings. After pursuing studies in teaching children with disabilities at the Pädagogische Hochschule in Freiburg, he moved to London, earned a degree in the Theory and History of Photography at Surrey Institute of Art and Design, and became submerged within the London photographic scene, where he worked as picture editor, art director and photographic director. He quickly set up two photographic collectives, Young Photographers United and photodebut, followed more recently by the Photographer’s Office.

awards

2009	Aesthetica Award – Runner up / London Lead Award – Auszeichnung / Hamburg
2008	Backlight Artist’s Residency, Finland Bronze – Idn + graniph Universe Award / Tokyo Nomination – Joop Swart Master Class, Amsterdam
2007	Florence Biennale Award for Photography / Florence Photographery Masters Cup/ London-Beverly Hills PHE07 Best Photography Books of 2007 for ‘Dreams of Flying’/ Madrid Gold – PX3 Photography Award / Paris Gold – Best CP Award / Munich Finalist – Cedefop Award / Thessaloniki Gold – Art for Aid Award / Amsterdam

solo exhibitions

2010	Nur gespielt, Städtische Galerie Friedrichsbau, Bühl Best of 000-010, Gesto, Porto
2009	Mutatis Mutandis, Farmani Gallery, New York Liebesorte, c/o Berlin Microhumanoids, Galerie Baer, Dresden
2008	It’ll happen here, Marcia Wood Gallery, Atlanta Dreams of Flying, Graniph, Sydney Dreams of Flying, BZ Galerie, Freiburg Kleines Glück Grosses Spiel, UNO Gallery, Stuttgart The Snowbed, Radialsytem, Berlin*

Quotes:
Nothing stops Jan Von Holleben from creating the shot he wants, not budget, not locations, and not gravity. We love his youthful spirit, and that he uses his imagination to create fantastic frozen images of flight from some supplies from the garage, a few neighborhood children, and the end of the street, or the backyard(Creative Tempest).

His focus on the visual representation of childhood, ‘Child-History’ and concepts of ‘Playing’, come from his teacher training coursework: he combines these theories with his personal experience and childhood memories.

Interview/Article:
http://180mag.ca/0702/holleben/holleben.html

Gallery Representation:
http://farmanigallery.com/en/Exhibit/JanvonHolleben/JanvonHolleben.php

Artist Website:
http://www.janvonholleben.com/