Jan von Holleben

Jan von Holleben (born 1977) is a German photographer.

Life and work

Born in 1977 and brought up in the southern German countryside, he lived most of his youth in an alternative commune near Freiburg 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 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. His body of photographic work focusing on the ‘homo ludens’ – the man who learns through play, is itself built from a playful integration of pedagogical theory with his own personal experiences of play and memories of childhood.

Jan von Holleben's work has been exhibited internationally and published widely throughout the world.

His work has been published amongst others in Die Zeit, Spiegel Wissen, Dein Spiegel, Chrismon, Neon, Creative Review, Dazed& Confused, Diva, Day 4, Dummy, Emotion, Geo, Geolino, Zeit Magazin, Zeit Campus, Adbusters, Art Review, Bant, Brigitte, Dumbo Feather, DPI, IDN, Irish Times, Label, Liberation, Max, Next Level, Ojodepez, Photo Review, Photography, Repubblica, Rojo, Style 100, The Face, The Sunday Review, Sleazenation, SZ-Magazin, Vice, Vogue Girl and many more.

Education

1997 Baccalaureate Diploma (A-Levels) – Martin-Schongauer-Gymnasium_Breisach, Breisach
1997–2000 Photographic Apprentice – Prisma Productions, Freiburg
1999–2000 Studies in Teaching Children with Disabilities – Pädagogische Hochschule, Freiburg
2000–2002 BA (Hons) Photography (Theory and History) – SIAD University, Farnham

Book publications

11-21, The Photographer's Office, London, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9554470-1-3
Dreams of Flying, The Photographer's Office, London, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9554470-0-6
Träume vom Fliegen, Hoffmann & Campe, Hamburg, 2008. ISBN 978-3455380446
The Snowbed, The Photographer's Office, London, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9554470-2-0
Dreams of Flying vol.2, The Photographer's Office, London, 2009. ISBN 978-0-9554470-3-7
Mutatis Mutandis, The Photographer's Office, London, 2010. ISBN 978-0-9554470-4-4
HO HO HO, The Photographer's Office, Berlin, 2011. ISBN 978-0-9554470-6-8
Kriegen das eigentlich alle? Gabriel Verlag im Thienemann Verlag, Stuttgart, 2013. ISBN 978-3522304412
Konrad Wimmel ist da! Gabriel Verlag im Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag, Stuttgart, 2014. ISBN 978-3522303989
Kinderlieder aus Deutschland und Europa, Carus Verlag & Gabriel Verlag im Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag, Stuttgart, 2014. ISBN 978-3522303828
Does that happen to everyone? Gestalten Verlag, Berlin, 2014. ISBN 978-3899555219
DENKSTE?! Gabriel Verlag im Thienemann Verlag, Stuttgart, 2014. ISBN 978-3522303477
mit Jane Baer-Krause: Wie heißt dein Gott eigentlich mit Nachnamen? Gabriel Verlag im Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag, Stuttgart, 2015. ISBN 978-3-522-30404-7
That’s what you think! Gestalten Verlag, Berlin, 2015. ISBN 978-3899557251
WWWas? Gabriel Verlag im Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag, Stuttgart, 2016. ISBN 978-3522304474
ABC Photography, Tarzipan Verlag, Berlin, 2016. ISBN 978-0-9554470-7-5
Und was wird jetzt mit mir? Gabriel Verlag im Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag, Stuttgart, 2016. ISBN 978-3522304726
KOSMOS, Little Steidl Verlag, Göttingen, 2017. ISBN 978-3944630014
Wenn ich KanzlerIn von Deutschland wär, Gabriel Verlag im Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag, Stuttgart, 2017. ISBN 978-3522304818
Monsterhelden, Beltz Verlag, Weinheim, 2017. ISBN 978-3407823175
Meine Wilde Wut, Beltz Verlag, Weinheim, 2018. ISBN 978-3407754219
Mach mit! Carlsen Verlag, Hamburg, 2018. ISBN 978-3551252074
ALLES IMMER - das Bilderbuch, Beltz Verlag, Weinheim, 2019. ISBN 978-3-407-75453-0
ALWAYS EVERYTHING - the picture book, Tarzipan books, 2019. ISBN 978-0955447082
Wie geht Politik? Gabriel Verlag im Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag, Stuttgart, 2021. ISBN 978-3522305921

Awards

2014: Wissenschaftsbuch des Jahres / Wien
2010: Lens Culture Award – Honorable Mention / San Francisco
2009: Aesthetica Award – Runner up / London
2009: Unicum Award – Best Ad / Bochum
2009: Lead Award – Auszeichnung / Hamburg
2008: Backlight Artist’s Residency, Finland
2008: Bronze – Idn + graniph Universe Award / Tokyo
2008: Nomination – Joop Swart Master Class, Amsterdam
2007: Photography Masters Cup/ London-Beverly Hills
2007: PHE07 Best Photography Books of 2007 for ‘Dreams of Flying’/ Madrid
2007: Gold – PX3 Photography Award / Paris
2007: Gold – Best CP Award / Munich
2007: Finalist – Cedefop Award / Thessaloniki
2007: Gold – Art for Aid Award / Amsterdam
2006: International Photography Award / Los Angeles
2006: Young Portfolio Award / Kiyosato
2006: Free Range Photographic Ambassador / London
2006: Magenta Award / Toronto
2006: Honours – Hyeres Festivale de la Photographie / Hyeres
2006: Gold – Lead Award / Hamburg
2006: Festimage / Chaves
2006: Photoreview Award / Langhorne
2004: London Photographic Award / London
2004: The Observer Hodge Photographic Award / London
2004: International Photography Award / Los Angeles
1998: FotoSalon Preis / Kirchzarten

Permanent installations

V&A Museum of Childhood, London, UK, 2006
John Radcliffe Children Hospital, Oxford, UK, 2014
Charité Children Cancer Ward, Berlin, Germany, 2015
Demelza, children hospice, Kent, UK, 2016
AIDA Perla, International, 2018
SOS Children's Village International Embassy, Berlin, Germany, 2018
Charité Palliativ Care Unit, Berlin, Germany, 2019
Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, USA, 2021

Exhibitions (selection)

2020 Always Everything, V&A Museum of Childhood, London
2019 Alles Immer, Freiburg/ Reutlingen/ Langenau/ Bad Saulgau/ Bodelshausen/ Walddorfhäslach/ Rottenburg am Neckar, Germany
2016 Homo Ludens, in der Tulla, Mannheim
2015 Magic Bodø, Parkart Festival, Bodø
2014 The Amazing Analogue, The Brighton Photo Biennial, Hove Museum, Brighton
2012: Lily & Jonathan, John Radcliffe Children Hospital, Oxford
2010 Best of 000-010, Gesto, Porto
2010: Nur gespielt, Städtische Galerie Friedrichsbau, Bühl
2009: Mutatis Mutandis, Farmani Gallery, New York
2009: Liebesorte, C/O Berlin
2008: It'll happen here, Marcia Wood Gallery, Atlanta
2007: Wir werden immer größer, Peter Hay Helpert Fine Art, New York
2007: Dreams of Flying, V&A Museum of Childhood, London
2006: Dreams of Flying, Peter Hay Helpert Fine Art, New York (K)
2005: Dreams of Flying, Nogoodwindow, Paris
2001: The Apricot, Kunstverein Kirchzarten, Kirchzarten

Images

The Flowers from Journey to everywhere
Particle Acclerator from Latteral Thinking
Gameboys and Girls
The dog rider from the series Dreams of Flying
Rabby and Bunny from the series Cyborg Pets