Arno Nollen (1964) is a storyteller. In his investigative work, the focus is on the series of photographs; he is not interested in a single, standalone photo. The series, often with minimal nuances, exist in a realm between film and photography. Through repetition, they unconsciously spark associations, comparisons, and memories in the viewer. Emotions of fascination, excitement, disapproval, and discomfort arise, and the individual’s own story is created. Nollen uses various media to present his images, including books, videos, prints, and installations. For the Hague Photo Museum, he created eight new photo series from hundreds of photos in his archival collection (1997-2016), together forming the remarkable installation Just.
Collector of Emotions Nollen works without a specific concept or method and considers himself a “collector of emotions.” The only standard is the precision with which Arno Nollen captures his feelings in images. It is almost tangible how his personal doubts, obsessions, and tender feelings often align with those of his subjects. In the series characterized by minimal differences and shifts in pose, gaze, and actions of the model, giving them an almost cinematic quality, Nollen aims to compare moment to moment. Good observation is key for Nollen.
Arno Nollen graduated from the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam in 1997. For his graduation presentation, he received the Esther Kroon Award and was nominated for the NPS Culture Prize in 1998. He exhibits his work extensively.
www.ftn-books.com has several Nollen publications now available.
