Frans van Hoek (1995, ZA/NL) (he/him) is a conceptual artist based in The Hague, NL.
Growing up in South Africa’s Karoo desert, where fossils, satellite towers, and colonial musket rounds coexist casually, his practice explores the world by layering these different timescales. Drawing on a background in physics and psychology, van Hoek seeks to integrate such seemingly opposing forces. His works bridge large-scale currents in ecology, history and politics with the playful poetics of everyday life. Using humour, participation, and well-known forms to make philosophical questions more accessible, reducing tension and making difficult discussions easier.
A carnival shooting range installed in a gallery raising money for real wars. A world map redrawn by children. A camera obscura cinema on the waterborder with Russia, watching waves and patrol boats glimmer across the walls with local fishermen.
Weaving amongst Finnish soldiers, Brabant primary-schoolers, Amsterdam climate consultants, Portuguese farmers, his works seek to generate a collaborative understanding of our world. Guided by Relational Aesthetics and Conflict Resolution techniques, van Hoek believes that by creating sites of playful connection across disciplines and cultural divides, we amplify our empathy, knowledge, creativity—and ultimately our ability to shape our planet, together.
bio
Frans van Hoek (1995, ZA/NL) holds a BA from Brown University (US) and a BFA from the Royal Academy of Art (NL). He has exhibited widely across NL and BE (Stigter van Doesburg, NEST, NAP+, MOW Museum), and has completed residencies in Finland, Estonia, Portugal, and The Netherlands. His works sit in major public collections such as the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and LAM Museum. In 2025 he was awarded the Mondriaan Artist Start Grant for recent graduates. Open to collaborations with any field, he is reachable at fransjvanhoek@gmail.com
education
2020 - 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
awards + grants
2025 Mondriaan Fonds, Artist Start Grant, NL
Homiens Art Prize, Highly Commended, USA
collections
2026 Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NL
LAM Museum, NL
Private Collections in NL, BE, DE
residencies
2027 (upcoming) PADA Studios, Barreiro, PT
2024 Het Resort Midseason, Groningen, NL
ORES Residency, Orö, FI
2023 NART Venice Embassy Residency, Narva, EE
Ponte d’Arte, Ponte da Mucela, PT
programs
2026 38CC, Bobbi’s Summer School, Delft, NL
NGO DEI, What Why War, The Hague, NL
2024 Kunstpodium T, Master/Apprentice Program, Tilburg, NL
Cacaofabriek, Fresh Cacao Talent Program, Helmond, NL
2023 INCO, Social Entrepreneurship Incubator Program, NL
exhibitions
2027
(upcoming) (solo) “Tactical Frivoloty”, NGO DEI, The Hague, NL
2026
(upcoming) “I didn’t cross the border, the border crossed me”, Museum W, NL
(upcoming) “CUD”, Quartair, The Hague, NL
(upcoming) “JACKPOT”, Erratum Projects, Marseille, FR
“Les Fleurs du Mal”, Thonk Tank, Antwerp, BE
(solo) “Wound Machine”, Mad Meg, Amsterdam, NL
(duo) “Troublezone”, Speechless ArtSpace, The Hague, NL
“Minor Moons: Lunar New Year”, De Besturing, The Hague, NL
“Mad Meg Presents:”, Mad Meg, Amsterdam, NL
“Salon Amsterdam”, Stigter van Doesburg, Amsterdam, NL
2025
“LOKI”, MOW Museum, Bellingwolde, NL
“Many Times, Many Ways”, Tin, Amsterdam, NL
“Post Pollution”, Vriend van Bavink Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
“Post Ludens”, TROEF, Leiden, NL
“BIG ART”, Het Slotervaart, Amsterdam, NL
“Remnants II”, T Space, Antwerp, BE
“A Summer Away”, Het Resort, Groningen, NL
“POWERPOLYP”, 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 2024-25”, 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
“Meander”, Billytown, The Hague, NL
“Frans van Hoek & Sigrid Spierenburg”, Maldoror Gallery, The Hague, NL
2023
“Yes Chance”, KASK, Antwerp, BE
(solo) “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