Katrin Korfmann's work is on the cutting edge of photography, film and installation. In her work, she creates a tension between stillness and movement, and partly because of that her work shows a strong affinity with performance. Korfmann is attracted to the spectacles of everyday life that usually take place in the public space. By capturing people in motion, she forms a new perspective on busy urban settings as portraits of contemporary transitions.
In her oeuvre, Korfmann incorporates a critical attitude towards the world around her, explicitly with regards to contemporary visual culture. She investigates a multitude of images, their historical and current manifestations and the resulting social and visual effects. She places her world of experience outside of herself, abstracting it and playing with it to get a better "view" of it. Her photographs are both an image of reality and of collective social memory.
A frequently recurring element in her photographs and installations is the monochromatic backdrop, which she refers to as ‘space zero’. The space zero is a solid-coloured surface, like a canvas or a backdrop in a photography studio, ready to capture the play that is set to begin. The bird's-eye view often used by Korfmann allows her to create images that are free from direct references to architecture, specific locations or cultural backgrounds.
In her oeuvre, Korfmann incorporates a critical attitude towards the world around her, explicitly with regards to contemporary visual culture. She investigates a multitude of images, their historical and current manifestations and the resulting social and visual effects. She places her world of experience outside of herself, abstracting it and playing with it to get a better "view" of it. Her photographs are both an image of reality and of collective social memory.
A frequently recurring element in her photographs and installations is the monochromatic backdrop, which she refers to as ‘space zero’. The space zero is a solid-coloured surface, like a canvas or a backdrop in a photography studio, ready to capture the play that is set to begin. The bird's-eye view often used by Korfmann allows her to create images that are free from direct references to architecture, specific locations or cultural backgrounds.
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Articles on Katrin Korfmann
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Installation view
Katrin Korfmann, Anton de Komplein, 2018
Big Art 2019 Bradwolff & Partners
Highlights
About
Van Boven (2019)
Kijk naar een foto van Katrin Korfmann en je zult moeite hebben je blik ervan los te maken. De in Berlijn geboren en in Amsterdam wonende kunstenaar maakt grote foto’s van werkplaatsen, ateliers en de publieke ruimte. Ze neemt die van grote hoogte,met een enorm statief of vanaf een hoogwerker of gebouw.Daardoor gebeurt er iets fascinerends: de wereld oogt vertrouwd, maar tegelijk ook niet.Er is iets abstracts ingeslopen. En het is die abstractie die zich als eerste aan de kijker openbaart. De 11de-eeuwse textielververij in Marokko, die Korfmann in 2018 fotografeerde, is aller eerst een spel van kleuren, vormen en lijnen.
Jeroen Bos
Hovering above the shop floor (2018)
Hovering above the shop floor
Initially, the Back Stages project tempts me to think about labour. This line of thought isn't odd or implausible. Back Stages shows twelve photo-compositions of shop floors all over the world. A small glass factory in the Chinese province of Fujian. A marble workshop in Carrara. A dance studio of the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam. A bronze foundry in the Dutch province of Brabant. A tannery in Morocco. Just to name a few.
These are all places of labour. Predominantly heavy labour. Often unhealthy, sometimes dangerous and, outside Europe, certain to be terribly underpaid as well. Such unionistic tendencies are not the first thing to surface though, looking at the compositions. Presenting itself instead is a pleasant, warm sentiment. An invitation to participate in an exchange about labour. Followed by questions about good, desirable labour. Eventually leading to questions about craft and artistic labour.
http://www.katrinkorfmann.com/bruyne
Paul de Bruyne, art critic
Behind the Scenes
Thus began three years of travel that took them around the world: a marble production company in Carrara, Italy; a ballet rehearsal in Amsterdam; an 11th-century tannery in Morocco; a glass factory Anxi, China. At each location, they mounted a camera on a 20-foot-high tripod and, over the course of several hours, took hundreds of photos of the workspace—a process Korfmann likens to “scanning” the location with her camera.
Back in the studio, Korfmann and Pfeifer then digitally stitched together the photos to create a single, bird’s-eye view of the various fabrication processes, a technique that took her and her assistants anywhere from a week to a month. Rather than capturing an exact facsimile of the space, the process allowed the photographer to combine all the various facets of artistic production—time-lapse photography collapsed into a single image.
Michael Hardy
Homo Ludens (2012)
In Katrin Korfmann’s work people are never alone in the world. Her photos are usually full of people. You can’t really call them groups as there is a lot of space between them. The individuals on her photos don’t really belong together, and if they do then they’re in small groups, in twos or threes, just like when you see people walking or crossing a square. Katrin Korfmann is often on the road, especially as she participates in international exhibitions, and from her work you can see that she is endlessly fascinated by open and public spaces with people continually crossing, gathering or passing by. Train stations, airports, streets, and squares form the background for her people.
She takes photos from above, and sometimes she hangs in a crane above the people she wants to portray. You see people from above, first the head and then a shortened version of the body that through the chosen vantage point is hardly visible. So there is no horizon, she views passers-by just like birds would observe them from the air. This time she was also hanging above her subject.
But never before had she chosen such a playful and lively one. We see children running and a ball floating. This photo (or in this case piezographic print) has been specially made for the AMC. Katrin Korfmann has the honour this year of creating a work which will be an artistic response to the human form, an assignment which is annually given to a Dutch artist around The Anatomy Lesson. And, judging by the works she has posted in the past years on her website, she has taken a giant step with this assignment.
Tineke Reijnders
Katrin Korfmannn's bird’s-eye views
At first, Korfmann’s bird’s-eye views of workshops, studios and foundries draw you in because they’re beautiful: packed with crisply depicted details that bring faraway places so close you can touch them — in your mind’s eye. It’s a pretty trippy adventure to make your way through the nooks and crannies of her tautly composed pictures.
In each, Korfmann strikes just the right balance between familiar objects and unknown settings. She makes you work to figure out what you’re looking at. And she makes the whole process pleasurable — like traveling to a foreign land and discovering all sorts of wonderful stuff. It feels intimate, as if you are making real connections to a world that’s new to you.
David Pagel
Shows
Market position
Katrin Korfmann [DE, 1971] lives and works in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She studied at the Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, where she specialised in photography and continued her research with residencies at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam, Cittadellarte in Biella and the Chinese European Art Centre in Xiamen, China. Since the late 1990s her work has been exhibited internationally in galleries, museums, alternative art institutions and public spaces. Her work is represented in numerous private and public international collections. She won several prizes for her work, including Radostar Prize (CH), Prix de Rome (2nd prize) and the Esther Kroon Award (NL). In addition to a practice as a visual artist, she is a senior lecturer at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague.
Her work is represented in various international private and corporate collections e.g.
in the U.S.: C21, Bill and Christy Gautreaux, Twitter
in Germany: Würth Foundation, Alison & Peter W. Klein Collection, European Patent Office, Robert Bosch Foundation,
in The Netherlands: Drake Collection, AMC Art Collection, Bouwfonds Art Collection of Rabo Real Estate Group, ING Art Collection, Art Collection Ministry of Foreign Affairs, VandenBroek Foundation, Plancius Art Collection, Rijnstate art collection, Fotomuseum The Hague, Carla & Hugo Brown Collection, UMC Utrecht, AkzoNobel Art Foundation
in Sweden: Collection City of Umeå, Balticgruppen, Stockholm County Council
Her work is represented in various international private and corporate collections e.g.
in the U.S.: C21, Bill and Christy Gautreaux, Twitter
in Germany: Würth Foundation, Alison & Peter W. Klein Collection, European Patent Office, Robert Bosch Foundation,
in The Netherlands: Drake Collection, AMC Art Collection, Bouwfonds Art Collection of Rabo Real Estate Group, ING Art Collection, Art Collection Ministry of Foreign Affairs, VandenBroek Foundation, Plancius Art Collection, Rijnstate art collection, Fotomuseum The Hague, Carla & Hugo Brown Collection, UMC Utrecht, AkzoNobel Art Foundation
in Sweden: Collection City of Umeå, Balticgruppen, Stockholm County Council
CV
Katrin Korfmann
Born 1971, Heidelberg, Germany – Lives and works in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Education / Postgraduate
2024 – Doctoral Student, PhDArts, Leiden University & KABK, NL
2020–2024 – DDF Research Fellow, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
2000–2001 – Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam, NL
1996–1999 – Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam (Photography)
1997–1998 – Assistant to Ulay (Uwe F. Laysiepen)
1995–1996 – Kunsthochschule Berlin Weissensee, DE
Solo Exhibitions
2026 – Human Nature, LUMC Gallery, Leiden, NL
2025 – Augenblick, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL
2024 – INTERACTION, ECHO, PLAY, House of Dialogue & Bradwolff & Partners, Bussum, NL
2019 – Back Stages, Contact Photography Festival, Toronto, CA
2019 – Back Stages, Teylers Museum, Haarlem, NL
2018 – Back Stages, Onomatopee, Eindhoven, NL
2018 – Back Stages, Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles, US
2017 – Ensembles Assembled, Kennedy van der Laan, Amsterdam, NL
2016 – 665 km, Berlinartprojects, Berlin, DE
2015 – Ensembles Assembled, Francis Boeske Projects, Amsterdam, NL
2015 – Hui’an, Bradwolff Projects, Amsterdam, NL
2014 – Ensembles Assembled, Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles, US
2014 – Ensembles Assembled, The Library Shop / Photoireland, Dublin, IE
2014 – Ensembles Assembled, Onomatopee, Eindhoven, NL
2013 – Galleri Andersson / Sandström, Stockholm, SE
2012 – Rado Star Prize, OFOTO, Shanghai, CN
2012 – Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles, US
2012 – Galleri Andersson / Sandström, Stockholm/Umea, SE
2011 – Horizon Vanished, Art Affairs, Amsterdam, NL
2010 – Count for Nothing
Group Exhibitions (Selection)
2026 – Malta Biennale: CLEAN | CLEAR | CUT, Troy Pavilion, Malta
2026 – First Light, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL (Jan 16 – Mar 14)
2025 – Endurance, Noordbrabants Museum, Den Bosch, NL – artists include Chase Tag, Greg Colson, Katrin Korfmann, Yves Klein
2025 – Museum More, NL – artists include Koos Buster, Esiri Erheriene-Essi, David Haines, Katrin Korfmann
2024 – Shared Memory, Çanakkale Biennial: Memory to a Museum, Cer Modern, Ankara, TR – a.o. Ayse Erkmen, Katrin Korfmann
2024 – Art Rotterdam, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL
2024 – A Light Exists In Spring, Bau Xi Gallery, Vancouver, CA – artists include Martin Klimas, Katrin Korfmann
2023 – Together, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL – artists include herman de vries, Ruta Butkute, Jaehun Park etc
2023 – Play, Bau Xi Gallery, Toronto, CA – artists include Jeffrey Milstein, Katrin Korfmann
2023 – Unseen, Amsterdam, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL
2023 – Intersect, Kopeikin Gallery, Palm Springs, US (FAIR)
2023 – Poubelle Sereen, Kunstkapel, Amsterdam, NL – artists include Joanneke Meester, Katrin Korfmann
2022 – Labour and Materials, C21, Kansas, US – artists include Alejandro Cartagena, Pieter Hugo, Zanele Muholi, Katrin Korfmann
2022 – Unseen, Amsterdam, NL (FAIR), Nomination Meijenburg Art Award
2022 – Athens Photo Festival, Benaki Museum, Athens, GR
2022 – Levels of Life, London College of Communication & The Photographers’ Gallery, London, UK
2022 – Rolling Snowball 14, CEAC & Powerlong Art Center, Xiamen, CN
2022 – Art Rotterdam, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL
Awards, Grants & Residencies
2021 – BijlmAIR Residency, CBK Zuidoost / Bradwolff Projects / Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, NL
2020 – Stipend for Established Artists, Mondriaan Fund, NL
2019 – Best Dutch Book Designs, NL
2018 – Hartenfonds, NL
2014 – Residency, Chinese European Art Center, Xiamen, CN
2013 – Basic Stipend, Mondriaan Fund, NL
2012 – Rado Star Prize, Biel/Bienne Festival of Photography, CH
2011 – Development Grant, Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, NL
2010 – Publication Grant, Fonds BKVB, NL
2009 – Residency / Grant, Amsterdams Grafisch Atelier, Amsterdam, NL
2005 – Residency / Grant, Akademie der Künste, Berlin, DE
2004 – Basic Stipend, Fonds BKVB, NL
2003 – 2nd Prize, Prix de Rome (Public Art), NL
Publications (Monographs)
2017 – Back Stages, Onomatopee, NL, 124 pages, ISBN 978-94-93148-06-2
2014 – Ensembles Assembled, Onomatopee, NL, 112 pages, ISBN 9789491677199
2010 – KATRIN KORFMANN 2000/2010, d’jonge Hond, NL, 128 pages, ISBN 978-90-89102-23-2
2006 – DL81 B-767-300ER, Akademie der Künste, DE, 40 pages, ISBN 3-88331-100-6
2005 – Blue Octagon, self-published, 160 pages
2004 – Katrin Korfmann, Carl Berg Gallery / Art Affairs, US/NL, 32 pages, ISBN 90-73985-06-4
Born 1971, Heidelberg, Germany – Lives and works in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Education / Postgraduate
2024 – Doctoral Student, PhDArts, Leiden University & KABK, NL
2020–2024 – DDF Research Fellow, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
2000–2001 – Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam, NL
1996–1999 – Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam (Photography)
1997–1998 – Assistant to Ulay (Uwe F. Laysiepen)
1995–1996 – Kunsthochschule Berlin Weissensee, DE
Solo Exhibitions
2026 – Human Nature, LUMC Gallery, Leiden, NL
2025 – Augenblick, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL
2024 – INTERACTION, ECHO, PLAY, House of Dialogue & Bradwolff & Partners, Bussum, NL
2019 – Back Stages, Contact Photography Festival, Toronto, CA
2019 – Back Stages, Teylers Museum, Haarlem, NL
2018 – Back Stages, Onomatopee, Eindhoven, NL
2018 – Back Stages, Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles, US
2017 – Ensembles Assembled, Kennedy van der Laan, Amsterdam, NL
2016 – 665 km, Berlinartprojects, Berlin, DE
2015 – Ensembles Assembled, Francis Boeske Projects, Amsterdam, NL
2015 – Hui’an, Bradwolff Projects, Amsterdam, NL
2014 – Ensembles Assembled, Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles, US
2014 – Ensembles Assembled, The Library Shop / Photoireland, Dublin, IE
2014 – Ensembles Assembled, Onomatopee, Eindhoven, NL
2013 – Galleri Andersson / Sandström, Stockholm, SE
2012 – Rado Star Prize, OFOTO, Shanghai, CN
2012 – Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles, US
2012 – Galleri Andersson / Sandström, Stockholm/Umea, SE
2011 – Horizon Vanished, Art Affairs, Amsterdam, NL
2010 – Count for Nothing
Group Exhibitions (Selection)
2026 – Malta Biennale: CLEAN | CLEAR | CUT, Troy Pavilion, Malta
2026 – First Light, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL (Jan 16 – Mar 14)
2025 – Endurance, Noordbrabants Museum, Den Bosch, NL – artists include Chase Tag, Greg Colson, Katrin Korfmann, Yves Klein
2025 – Museum More, NL – artists include Koos Buster, Esiri Erheriene-Essi, David Haines, Katrin Korfmann
2024 – Shared Memory, Çanakkale Biennial: Memory to a Museum, Cer Modern, Ankara, TR – a.o. Ayse Erkmen, Katrin Korfmann
2024 – Art Rotterdam, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL
2024 – A Light Exists In Spring, Bau Xi Gallery, Vancouver, CA – artists include Martin Klimas, Katrin Korfmann
2023 – Together, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL – artists include herman de vries, Ruta Butkute, Jaehun Park etc
2023 – Play, Bau Xi Gallery, Toronto, CA – artists include Jeffrey Milstein, Katrin Korfmann
2023 – Unseen, Amsterdam, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL
2023 – Intersect, Kopeikin Gallery, Palm Springs, US (FAIR)
2023 – Poubelle Sereen, Kunstkapel, Amsterdam, NL – artists include Joanneke Meester, Katrin Korfmann
2022 – Labour and Materials, C21, Kansas, US – artists include Alejandro Cartagena, Pieter Hugo, Zanele Muholi, Katrin Korfmann
2022 – Unseen, Amsterdam, NL (FAIR), Nomination Meijenburg Art Award
2022 – Athens Photo Festival, Benaki Museum, Athens, GR
2022 – Levels of Life, London College of Communication & The Photographers’ Gallery, London, UK
2022 – Rolling Snowball 14, CEAC & Powerlong Art Center, Xiamen, CN
2022 – Art Rotterdam, Bradwolff & Partners, Amsterdam, NL
Awards, Grants & Residencies
2021 – BijlmAIR Residency, CBK Zuidoost / Bradwolff Projects / Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, NL
2020 – Stipend for Established Artists, Mondriaan Fund, NL
2019 – Best Dutch Book Designs, NL
2018 – Hartenfonds, NL
2014 – Residency, Chinese European Art Center, Xiamen, CN
2013 – Basic Stipend, Mondriaan Fund, NL
2012 – Rado Star Prize, Biel/Bienne Festival of Photography, CH
2011 – Development Grant, Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, NL
2010 – Publication Grant, Fonds BKVB, NL
2009 – Residency / Grant, Amsterdams Grafisch Atelier, Amsterdam, NL
2005 – Residency / Grant, Akademie der Künste, Berlin, DE
2004 – Basic Stipend, Fonds BKVB, NL
2003 – 2nd Prize, Prix de Rome (Public Art), NL
Publications (Monographs)
2017 – Back Stages, Onomatopee, NL, 124 pages, ISBN 978-94-93148-06-2
2014 – Ensembles Assembled, Onomatopee, NL, 112 pages, ISBN 9789491677199
2010 – KATRIN KORFMANN 2000/2010, d’jonge Hond, NL, 128 pages, ISBN 978-90-89102-23-2
2006 – DL81 B-767-300ER, Akademie der Künste, DE, 40 pages, ISBN 3-88331-100-6
2005 – Blue Octagon, self-published, 160 pages
2004 – Katrin Korfmann, Carl Berg Gallery / Art Affairs, US/NL, 32 pages, ISBN 90-73985-06-4
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