Arjan de Nooy

I like to play with photographs. Using my own as well as found images, I devise stories and theories. Influenced by the work of the Czech philosopher Vilém Flusser, my intention to produce an artist statement resulted in the following propositions.

To practice photography is to play photography.
To play photography is to produce or to process programmed images.
Playing for beauty makes little sense: a photograph carries information, and beauty must be a function thereof. Photography is better played for information.
Just about everything has been photographed (the program is largely exhausted): in order to play meaningfully, to play for new information, a game should be devised.
The game consists of adding context to photographs, for instance by combination with other photographs, by altering photographs, or by adding a title, text or other media.
A photograph is a move in the game.
The game will be lost by mere repetition of previous results: its objective – and the fun of it – is to produce new information.
One plays against everyone that has played before.
The game begins with an idea. Rules and strategies then follow in their own logical way. They regulate how to play, for instance what and how to photograph, whether to allow chance and improvisation, which other media to deploy, which distribution channels to choose.
A photography game is a logical construct; I call such a game Photology.
A game of Photology may take seconds or years, may be played with one’s own materials or with other people’s materials (such as found photographs), every game comes with its own rules.
As with other games, Photology is valued for its own sake. Playing with a political, social, economic or aesthetic agenda is playing with a handicap: ideas tend to get compromised.
An idea comes with subject matter and vice versa.
There is no such thing as good or banal subject matter; there are only good and banal ideas.
An isolated photograph cannot convey an idea. A game must be designed in order to provide context.
Photographs signify primarily in relation to context provided in the game, and only secondarily in relation to what they represent (to what they show).
Photographs produced primarily to represent something – the vast majority comprising snapshots, journalism, surveillance, pornography – can become input for a game; redundant information can turn into new information in a different context.
A game is based on prior games; no one starts anew. Nonetheless, to play is to seek new information and to win is to produce new information.
Anyone can use previous results for a new game; a game is an invitation to play.
Photology games are constructs for perpetual play.

Exhibitions

: Ornithology Extended, Pennings Foundation (2023, Eindhoven); Photology, Galerie Caroline O'Breen (2023 Amsterdam); Photology, Unseen Fair (2022, Amsterdam); Nothing. Click. Everything., Pennings Gallery (2021, Eindhoven); Circulations, Le Centquatre (2020, Paris, France); Haagse School x Haagse Nieuwe, Museum Jan Cunen (2020, Oss); Shoes on a Table, Wit Gallery (2019, Wageningen); 99:1, Caroline O'Breen Gallery (2019, Amsterdam); Argyria, De Apotheek (2019, Amsterdam); The Universal Photographer, Kunstmuseum (2018, The Hague); Homo occupatus, Into Nature (2018, Biënnale Drenthe); Dodonaei, Pennings Gallery (2018, Eindhoven); Photography and Form, Fotomuseum Den Haag (2017, The Hague); Ornithology, Sign+ (2017, Groningen); Dodonaeus Digital Arts Festival, Heilige Geestkapel (2017, Mechelen, Belgium); Birdland and the Anthropocene, The Peale Center (2017, Baltimore, USA); 99:1, Het Nutshuis (2017, The Hague); To the Point, Extrapool (2017, Nijmegen); Looking Up / Looking Down, Seelevel Gallery (2017, Amsterdam); Springvloed, Dutch Photography Museum (2017, Rotterdam); A Special Case of Mimicri, Wit Gallery (2016, Wageningen); The Fortune Teller, Garage (2016, Rotterdam); Ornithology, Natural History Museum (2016, Rotterdam); Ornithology, Art Rotterdam (2016, Rotterdam); Degrees of Freedom, Quickscan, Dutch Photography Museum (2016, Rotterdam); Vincentomania, Van Goghhuis (2015, Zundert); SALVO, Nutshuis (2015, The Hague); Actual Size, Johan Deumens Gallery (2014, Amsterdam); Great men, Walden Affairs (2013, The Hague); Pose, Extrapool (2013, Nijmegen); Haarscherp, GEMAK (2012, The Hague); DocuDenHaag, Het Nutshuis (2011, The Hague); ALIAS, Photomonth (2011, Krakow, Poland); Work in progress, ACF (2010, Amsterdam); The collector, Marres (2010, Maastricht); Steenbergen stipendium, Dutch Photography Museum (2009, Rotterdam)

Education

: Photography (2004-2009, Royal Academy of Art (KABK), The Hague); PhD Chemistry (1992-1997, TU Delft); MSc Chemistry (1984-1990, Leiden University)

Awards

: Selection for The Best Dutch Book Design 2018 (Dodonaei); Winner Golden Letter 2017 ('Best Book Design From All Over The World' for 'Ornithology'); Selection for The Best Dutch Book Design 2017 (Ornithology); Dutch Doc Award (longlist documentary and innovation for 'De facto'), 2010; Winner Kleine Hans for 'De facto', 2010; Steenbergen stipendium (nominated), 2009

Publications

: Dictionary (with Anne Geene), Blind Finch Books (2023); Photology, Blind Finch Books (2023); 99:1, Fw:Books, Amsterdam (2019); The Universal Photographer (with Anne Geene), De Hef Publishers, Rotterdam (2018); Dodonaei (with Anne Geene), self-published (2017); Ornithology (with Anne Geene), De Hef Publishers, Rotterdam (2016); Party Photographer, self-published (2014); De allrounder, Extrapool/Knust, Nijmegen (2013); Haarscherp (Magazine), self-published (2012); De facto - A history of Dutch photography, Uitgeverij IJzer, Utrecht (2009)

Texts

: Interview with Gabrielle Schwarz (The Guardian, 2024); Review by Corien Ligtenberg (Brabant Cultureel, 2024); Interview with Edo Dijksterhuis (Pf, 2023); Review by Edo Dijksterhuis (Het Parool, 2023); Review by Bob van der Sterre (Jegens & Tevens, 2023); In Search of Lost Space, Marc Geerards (99:1, 2019); Op zoek naar de verloren ruimte, Marc Geerards (99:1, 2019); Review by Rebecca Irvin (It's Nice That, 2019); Review by Bob van der Sterre (Jegens en Tevens, 2019); MA Thesis by Janou Munnik (2019); Review by Caroline von Courten (Aperture, 2019); Review by Joerg Colberg (Conscientious, 2019); Review (De Standaard, 2019); Review by Corien Ligtenberg (Brabantcultureel.nl, 2018); Review by Karolien Knols (De Volkskrant, 2018); Review by Sophia Zuercher (Parool, 2018); Review by C. Marti (Der ornithologische Beobachter, 2018); Review by Lise Lotte ten Voorde (Pf, 2017); Review by Karolien Knols (De Volkskrant, 2017); Jury Report Golden Letter (2017); Review by Rianne van Dijck (NRC, 2017); Review by Sophia Zuercher (Parool, 2017); Review by Claire Voon (Hyperallergic, 2016); Review by Arno Haijtema (De Volkskrant, 2016); Review by Corien Ligtenberg (Brabant Cultureel, 2024); Review by Kester Freriks (NRC, 2016); Interview with Raymond van Mil (Vice, 2016); Review by Evelien Baks (AD, 2016); Review by Vibeke Mascini (Mister Motley, 2016); Beeld van de week (de Volkskrant, 2016); Joerg Colberg on Party Photographer (Blake Andrews Blogspot, 2015); Review by Kari Cwynar (Frieze Magazine, 2014); Review by Steyn Bergs (Metropolis M, 2013); Review by Martijn Grooten (Jegens en Tevens, 2013); Thesis Rosan Dekker (Gerrit Rietveld Academie, 2013); Article by Domeniek Ruyters (Metropolis M, 2012); Review by Carol Sawyer (Gemak, 2012); Article by Marja Pruis (De Groene Amsterdammer, 2012); Review by Hans Aarsman (Photoq, 2012); Review by Julia Geerlings (Metropolis M, 2012); Review by Babeth Knol (Den Haag Centraal, 2012); Reportage (Trendbeheer, 2012); Review by Caspar Cillekens (De Limburger, 2010); Review by Domeniek Ruyters (Metropolis M, 2010); Jury-rapport Kleine Hans (2009); Review by Hans Aarsman (Photoq, 2009); Review by Theo Kamphuis (Fotografisch Geheugen, 2009)