Document Netherlands 2024: Eddo Hartmann photographs festivals
Publication date: 18 July 2024 - 08:47
For its annual photography commission Document Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum invited Eddo Hartmann to focus on the subject of festivals. Huge, exuberant crowds enjoy the many large-scale festivals throughout the Netherlands. Hartmann’s photographs show individuals – whether lost or absorbed in the throngs of festivalgoers – against the backdrop of the Dutch events industry. The exhibition Festival Frenzy runs from 27 September 2024 to 12 January 2025 in the Rijksmuseum’s Photography gallery.
The exhibition Festival Frenzy is made possible in part by Rijksmuseum NEXT, and through the Rijksmuseum Fonds: Floor Fonds, Familie Van Ogtrop Fonds and Bestuursfonds Hollandse Meesters.
Festival Frenzy
Festivals in the Netherlands are essential cultural hangouts for the millions of visitors who find freedom in a transitory space. Plastic walkways, multiple amenities and temporary currencies transform fields and natural areas into instant miniature cities. For this edition of Document Netherlands, Eddo Hartmann focused on the culture and architecture of festivals, with particular attention for individual experiences that sharply contrast with the vast crowds. Hartmann uses a variety of techniques, including extremely long exposures, to manipulate time and show crowds that seem to merge with their environment. His photographs pick out isolated individuals – some are completely in their element, others are looking for a moment of peace.
Eddo Hartmann
Eddo Hartmann (b. 1973) is known for his magical-realist and sometimes otherworldly atmosphere of his work, which touches on social issues. The subjects of his earlier series include his parental home (Here Lives My Home, 2008-2012), Pyongyang as the setting for socialist propaganda (Setting the Stage, 2014-2017) and parts of the world that have been sacrificed to nuclear tests (The Sacrifice Zone, 2019-2023).
Document Netherlands Junior
Document Netherlands Junior is an annual photography competition for secondary and college students, devoted to the same theme as Document Netherlands. The series of photographs by the young nominees go on view concurrently with the commissioned series in the Photography gallery. This year’s nine nominees received a masterclass from Eddo Hartmann, Fotolab Kiekie, Irma Boom Office and Rijksmuseum staff. The names of the two winners will be announced on 26 September.
Document Netherlands
The Rijksmuseum’s annual Document Netherlands photography commission has been running since 1975. For each edition, the Rijksmuseum invites a Dutch photographer to capture a specific topical social theme.
Previous recipients of the Document Netherlands commission:
Bert Nienhuis, Eddy Posthuma de Boer, Dolf Toussaint, Han Singels, Koen Wessing, Hans van den Bogaard, Bertien van Manen, Paul Babeliowsky, Jan Everhard, Eduard de Kam, Joost Guntenaar, Kors van Bennekom, Pieter Boersma, Ed van der Elsken, Hans Aarsman, Harry Meijer, Oscar van Alphen, Maya Pejic, René de Wit, Michel Pellanders, Theo Baart, Cary Markerink, Ferry André de la Porte, Nick Sinclair, Jannes Linders, André-Pierre Lamoth, Theo Bos, Hannes Wallrafen, Werry Crone, Reinier Gerritsen, Luuk Kramer, Roel Visser, Harrie Timmermans, Taco Anema, Bert Verhoeff, Koen Wessing, Catrien Ariëns, Céline van Balen, Stephan Vanfleteren, Mark Power, Eva Leitolf, Bart Sorgedrager, Morad Bouchakour, Janine Schrijver, Justin Jin, Jan van IJken, Geert van Kesteren, Raymond Wouda, Marnix Goossens, Ad van Denderen, Ilse Frech, Dana Lixenberg, Henk Wildschut, Hans van der Meer, Carel van Hees, Anoek Steketee, Stacii Samidin, Martijn van de Griendt, Sharelly Emanuelson and Mounir Raji.
Festival Frenzy
For images, please send a request to pressoffice@rijksmuseum.nl