Julie van der Vaart is a Belgium-based photographic artist and educator, who uses various experimental darkroom and printing techniques to create otherworldly interpretations of reality.
From an early age she was fascinated by space and time, imagining the infinity of the universe or the pulling darkness of black holes. These obsessions resulted in an alternative view on reality from which she continues to draw inspiration for her work. Her most recent projects revolve around imaginary (non-lineair) time and existence. The questions of what it means to exist as a body and what reality is made of – which stem from her experiences with depersonalization – are at the core of her work.
The physicality of the print is employed as a tool to explore these intangible phenomena but it is also used as a way for the artist to deal with the world and to come into contact with reality, to be rooted in the present moment.
Julie’s work invites viewers to detach themselves from the physicality of day-to-day existence and explore the complex relationship between the body and time.
Julie van der Vaart (Maastricht, 1988)
woonachtig en werkend in België
Education
2009-2013: Bachelor & Master Fine-arts, Photography; Media, Arts & Design-faculty, KHLim Genk, BE
2013-2014: Specific Teacher Training (Visual Arts); Media, Arts & Design-faculty, PXL, Hasselt, BE
2013-2014: M Studios, Museum M, Leuven, BE
2014-2015: Master of Research in Art and Design; Sint Lucas, Antwerpen, BE
2016-2017: Jan van Eyck academie, Maastricht, NL
2021-2022: Masterclass Reflexions 2.0
Prizes
2023
3rd prize “Gomma Black and White Awards”
2020
Shortlisted, Gomma Photography Grant
2020
Stipendium for Established Artists, The Mondriaan Fund, NL
Shortlisted, Gomma Photography Grant
2019
Shortlisted, Siena International Photo Awards
2018
Shortlisted, Gomma Photography Grant
2015
Shortlisted, Sony World Photography Awards, category “Conceptual”
2014
Cultural Ambassador of Lanaken, BE
Shortlisted, Gomma Photography Grant
2011
1st Prize ”The Golden Lens”, 33rd International Photo-Festival, Knokke-Heist, BE
1st Prize ”Portraits… made in Limburg”, Nieuwerkerken, BE
Photo Academy Award Amsterdam, Winner category ”d’jonge hond”, NL
Solo Exhibitions
2024
“Black Cloud”, Galerie Leneuf Sinibaldi, Paris, FR
2023
“Black Cloud”, with Ronald Zuurmond, Galerie Wilms, Venlo, NL
2022
“Black Cloud”, Deuss Gallery, Antwerp, BE
2021
“Deep Time” with Ulrike Heydenreich, Galerie Wilms, Venlo, NL
2020
“The Field of The Unknown”, with Fabio Roncato, Deuss Gallery, Antwerp, BE
2019
“The Shell Of Man”, with Guido Paulussen, StonePhoto, Stein, NL
2018
“Beyond Time”, Ingrid Deuss Gallery, Antwerp, BE
2016
“Beyond Time”, Het Kabinet – CIAP, Hasselt, BE
2015
“DUSK”, MINT Galerie, Gent, BE
2014
Cultureel Centrum, Lanaken, BE
2011
”Stranger to Myself”, Lumière, Maastricht, NL
Exhibitions
2024
“Unseen” art fair with Galerie Wilms, Amsterdam, NL
“Efemeer”, Kunstplatform Stek, Torhout, BE
2023
“Index Naturae” part of Omnefest, Villa Parco Bolasco, Veneto, IT
“Unseen” art fair with Galerie Wilms, Amsterdam, NL
2023
“KunstRAI” art fair with Galerie Wilms, Amsterdam, NL
2023
“Eventually, everything connects”, Deuss Gallery, Antwerp, BE
2022
“La Nuu” Photofestival in Rubí, ES
“Plussing” Curated by Jonas Vansteenkiste & Ilka De Wilde, Contemporary Art Platform WARP, Sint-Niklaas, BE
“ROOK” Curated by Charlot Winne & Tom van Ryckeghem, art route in the city of Wervik, BE
“Galerie Wilms 15 years”, Venlo, NL
“KunstRAI” art fair with Galerie Wilms, Amsterdam, NL
2021
“Ondersporen” Curated by Emmanuel d’Autreppe, Cultureel Centrum Hasselt, BE
“Blues” Curated by Joost Vandebrug, Ingrid Deuss Gallery, Antwerp, BE
“Deep Time” Duo exhibition with Ulrike Heydenreich, Galerie Wilms, Venlo, NL
“Nouvelles Vagues” Curated by Emmanuel d’Autreppe, Xème Biennale de photographie en Condroz, BE
“Échapées Belles” a project by Lise Bruyneel and Julie Calbert, in the streets of Saint-Gillis, Brussels, BE
“KunstRAI” art fair with Galerie Wilms, Amsterdam, NL
“Unseen” art fair with Ingrid Deuss Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
“The Field of The Unknown” Duo exhibition with Fabio Roncato, Ingrid Deuss Gallery, Antwerp, BE
2019
“Hunger” curated by Void Magazine, Online exhibition, PHmuseum
“Beyond Time”, Duo exhibition with Guido Paulussen, StonePhoto, Stein, NL
“Amuse”, Galerie Wilms, Venlo, NL
“Amuse” op PAN Amsterdam met Galerie Wilms, Amsterdam, NL
2018
“Internationaal Fotofestival Leiden”, various locations, Leiden, NL
“The Shell Of Man”, Duo exhibition with Guido Paulussen, Suzanne Biederberg Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
“Beyond Time / Still”, Duo exhibition with Debby Thijs, 44 Gallery, Bruges, BE
“B is for Bird”, Museum Kranenburgh, Bergen, NL
“Fuseé de la Motographie”, Quai de la Roquette, Arles, FR
2017
“Open Studio’s”, Jan van Eyck Academie, Maastricht, NL
“Amsterdam Art Fair”, Johan Deumens Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
“We traveled across seven mountains”, Cultuurcentrum Mechelen, BE
“Musée de la Photographie de Bruxelles”, Recyclart, Brussels, BE
“You want it darker”, Garage Rotterdam, Rotterdam, NL
“Turn/Return – Brugge Foto”, Bogardenkapel, Brugge, BE
2016
“Der Greif proces 2.0”, Krakow Photomonth Festival, Krakow, PL
“Intimité / Identité / Réalités Contemporaines: Les nouvelles publications photographiques”, More Than A Gallery, Paris, FR
“Intimacy Under The Milky Way”, PAK&44Gallery, Gistel, BE
“Stitch”, OFFF by night, Antwerp, BE
2015
“Eclipse”, Gevangenis Noord Singel, Rotterdam, NL
“Love Will Tear Us Apart”, HAL, Antwerpen, BE
“Poppositions”, KanalWharf, Brussels, BE
“Sony World Photography Award” Somerset House, London, UK
“Imaginary Line”, Face to Face Gallery, Tokyo, JP
“Game of Roles” Paris-Texas, Antwerpen, BE
“Unexposed – TWENS”, CC Romaanse Poort, Leuven, BE
“Internationaal Fotofestival Leiden”, various locations, Leiden, NL
“Une Infinité de Similitudes”, Atelier Néerlandais, Paris, FR
“Introspection”, Duo Exhibition with Camille Renée Devid, 44 Gallery, Bruges, BE
“Dog Day Cabinet 2”, Le Clignoteur, Brussels, BE
2014
“Here’s looking at you, kid!”, Arts Center BELGIE, Hasselt, BE
“Test Case”, SLAC, Leuven, BE
“Der Greif – A Process”, Neue Galerie im Höhmannhaus, Augsburg, DE
“D!NG exhibition”, R.A.A.M., Kortrijk, BE
“Extra Fort”, Artist Talk + Projection, Recyclart Art Center, Brussels, BE
“The Ones We Love”, Viaduct Gallery, Des Moines, USA
“Unexposed – TWENS”, CC Romaanse Poort, Leuven, BE
“Open Monumentendag”, Waterburcht Pietersheim, Lanaken, BE
“Photoville NY”, Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York, USA
“The White Rabbit”, Bacteriologisch Instituut, Leuven, BE
“Internationaal Fotofestival Leiden”, various locations, Leiden, NL
“vlees. #1”, Leopoldskazerne, Gent, BE
“Reminisce”, Voka Kamer van Koophandel, Hasselt, BE
“New Dutch Photography Talent” Exhibition + Book Launch, 5&33, Amsterdam, NL
“Check”, Museum M, Leuven, BE
2013
“Out of Space”, House for Contemporary Art Z33, Hasselt, BE
”1000 Photos Amsterdam”, Melkweg Galerie, Amsterdam, NL
“EXIT 2013”, Mijn van Waterschei, Genk, BE
“YET SHOW 8”, 44 Gallery, Brugge, BE
”Pop-up Expo AmuseeVous”, Bonnefanten Ateliers, Hasselt, BE
“Empty Stretch + Furthermore Present: Petty Thieves #3”, Petworth Citizen, Washington D.C., USA
“Of The Afternoon: Pop-up Exhibition Issue #4 Launch”, Power Station Gallery, London, UK
2012
“no man’s land”, Coalface Gallery, Genk, BE
34rd International Photo-Festival, Knokke-Heist, BE
“Photo Academy Award”, Photo Gallery, Groningen, NL
“Photo Academy Award”, Photo Academy, Eindhoven, NL
”Kunst in Eigen Huis”, Leuven, BE
2011
33rd International Photo-Festival, Knokke-Heist, BE “Photo Academy Award”, Museum of Photography, Den Haag, NL
“Photo Academy Award”, Photo Gallery Fotogram, Amsterdam, NL
”Architecture of Fear”, House for Contemporary Art Z33, Hasselt, BE