Biography

Laura Hospes (Wageningen, 1994) started as photographer but soon she expanded her art practice and incorporated performances, video works, sculptures, drawings, paintings and writing to her body of work.

While still studying at the Photoacademy Amsterdam she started her career with a boost by winning the Emerging Talent Award from LensCulture. The media picked up her work and within a flash her photographs were on the front page of The Huffington Post, The Daily Mail, Yahoo and many more. After graduating ‘With Honours’ at the Photoacademy of Amsterdam, she continued photographing herself, while winning several prizes (such as Jacob Riis Documentary Award, Young Masters Art Prize, Zilveren Camera, SO2015 and Prix de la Photographie) and presenting her work both home and abroad on fairs and exhibitions (such as San Fransisco (SF CameraWork), Venice, New York, Amsterdam (Stedelijk Museum), London, Arles (Voies::Off), Paris and Berlin.) 

After some years she noticed a slight shift in interest: not only the mental image was the subject of her work, a primordial admiration in her body originated, causing a fixation on her body in new forms and conditions. While pursuing a master degree programme at the Master Institute of Visual Cultures (MIVC) of Den Bosch, she expanded her medium to not only photography, but also video, sculpture, performance and installation. Again, she graduates ‘With Honours’. 

Nowadays Laura works in her studio in Zaandam and is represented by Amsterdam-based gallery LANGart. An integral part of her artistic practice, is the patronage platform that she offers. Laura produces three books a year, all made by hand in one way or another, that her patrons receive by mail. Each book is a playground for reflection, sequences, combinations and associations, and above all: an artwork in itself. Ten editions have been published so far. New patrons can sign up via her website.