Renzo Martens
BIOGRAPHY
Biography
Born 1973, The Netherlands
Lives and works in Amsterdam, Brussels and Kinshasa
Education
2013 Yale World Fellow
2010-2015 Phd Research, Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Gent, BE
2010 ISCP, New York, USA
1999-2000 Vrije Universiteit, Brussels, BE
1993-1996 Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, NL
1992-1993 Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten, Gent, BE
1991-1992 Political Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit, Nijmegen, NL
Awards
2015 Witteveen+Bos-prijs voor Kunst+Techniek
2013 Cultuurfonds Documentaire Stipendium, Prins Bernhard Cultuur Fonds
2010 Cultuurprijs Vlaanderen
2010 Filmfonds Stimulansprijs 2010
2009 Prix Rubans Canards
Solo exhibitions
2017
'Cercle d'Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise (Congolese Plantation Workers Art League)', Sculpture Center, New York, USA
2016
'Congolese Plantation Workers Art League (with the Institute for Human Activities)', Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, UK
2015
'On the Institute for Human Activities', Bergkerk Deventer, NL
'Produktion (with the Institute for Human Activities)', Galerie nächst St. Stephan Rosemarie Schwarzwälder, Vienna, AT
'A Lucky Day (with the Institute for Human Activities)', KOW, Berlin, DE
'The Matter of Critique (with the Institute for Human Activities)', KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, DE
'A new settlement (with the Institute for Human Activities)', Galerie Fons Welters, Amsterdam, NL
2014
The Box, LA, USA
2011
'Renzo Martens', Kunsthalle Goteborg, Goteborg, DK
2009
'Episode 3', Wilkinson Gallery, London, UK
2008
'Episode 3', Stedelijk Museum Bureau, Amsterdam, NL
2005
'Episode 1', Vtape, Toronto, CA
2004
'Episode 1', Marres Centre for Contemporary Culture, Maastricht, NL
2003
'Episode 1', Galerie Fons Welters, Amsterdam, NL
1999
'Rien ne va plus', De Merodestraat, Brussels, BE
Group exhibitions
2020
'Risquons-Tout', WIELS, Brussels, BE
2019
'Vrijheid - vijftig Nederlandse kernkunstwerken sinds 1968', Museum De Fundatie, Zwolle, NL
2018
'Gerrit turns 50, Willem only 28 | Anniversary Show', Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, NL
'NAP', Galerie Fons Welters, Amsterdam, NL
2017
'TRANSAKTIONEN – Über den Wert künstlerischer Arbeit' (with the Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise), HaL, Berlin, DE
'The Armory Show (Focus selection)' (with the Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs des Plantations Congolaise), Galerie Fons Welters & KOW, New York, USA
2016
'Bread and Roses: Artists and the Class Divide, Renzo Martens presents: Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs des Plantations Congolaises', Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw, PL
2014
'Confessions of the Imperfect', Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, NL
'Artes Mundi 6', Wales's National Museum of Art, UK
'Manifesto! An Alternative History of Photography', Fotomuseum Winterthur, CH
'Evil Clowns', Hartware MedienKunstverein, Dortmund, DE
'9 artists', MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
‘Meer macht’, (curated by Hans den Hartog Jager), Museum de Fundatie, Zwolle, NL
'19th Biennale of Sydney: ‘You Imagine What You Desire’', Sydney, AU
2013
‘Ghost in the system - scenarios for resistance’, 5th Moscow Biennale of Comtemporary Art', Moscow, RU
‘Space of Exception’, Artplay, 5th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art', Moscow, RU
'‘Either/Or’, Haus am Waldsee', Berlin, DE and: Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhagen, DK
'‘9 Artists’ (with the Institute for Human Activities)', Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
'Lubumbashi Biennale, (a project by Tate Modern) (with the Institute for Human Activities)', Lubumbashi, CD
‘Blijven Kijken | Ce qui nous regarde | Dropouts’, Museum M, Leuven, BE
2012
‘Forget Fear’, 7th Berlin Biennial, (with the Institute for Human Activities)', Berlin, DE
‘Models for Taking Part’, (curated by Juan Gaitan)', Kenderdine Art Gallery, Saskatoon, CA
‘A Series of Navigations’, The Model, Sligo, IR
2011
‘Le Peuple qui Manque’, Le Bal, Paris, FR
‘Models for Taking Part’, Hart House, University of Toronto, CA
‘Radical Ruptures’, Kunsthalle Charlottenburg, Copenhagen (with a lecture by TJ Demos on Episode 3), DK
‘All that Fits, the Aesthetics of Journalism’, (curated by Alfredo Cramerotti and Simon Sheikh), Quad, Derby, UK
‘A Film Cycle’, Nomas Foundation, Rome
‘Models for Taking Part’, (curated by Juan Gaitan), Presentation house Gallery, Vancouver, CA
‘Antiphotojournalism’, (curated by Tom Keenan and Carles Guerra), Foam, Amsterdam, NL
‘My War, Participation in an Age of Conflict’, Kingston, CA
‘Alias’, (curated by Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin), Krakow Photo Month, Krakow, PL
2010
‘Monumentalism— History and National Identity in Contemporary Art: Proposal for Municipal Art Acquisitions 2010’, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, NL
‘Antiphotojournalism’, (curated by Carles Guerra and Thomas Keenan ), La Vireinna, Barcelona, ES
‘Human Condition’, (curated by Adam Budak), Kunsthaus Graz, Space02, Graz, AT
‘6th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art’, (curated by Katrin Rhomberg), Berlin, DE
‘All that is solid melts into the air’, (Curated by Miguel Amado), Museu Colecção Berardo, Lisbon, PT
‘MyWar (Identity and Appropriation Under War Condition)’, FACT, Liverpool, UK
‘Self as disappearance’, Centre d'art contemporain, La synagogue de Delme, FR
‘Morality Act III; And the moral of the story is...’, Witte de With, Rotterdam, NL
2009
‘Recente Aanwinsten’, De Hallen, Haarlem, NL
‘Rien ne va plus’, Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, NL
‘Le Temps de la Fin’, Espace d'art contemporain La Tolerie, Clermont-Ferrand, FR
‘Endurance (Daring Feats of Risk, Survival and Perseverance)’, Abington Art Center, Philadelphia, USA
‘Exploring the age of Repression’, Pavilion, Bucharest, RO
‘Images Recalled’, Fotofestival Ludwigshafen, DE
‘Until the End of the World’, AMP Gallery, Athens, GR
‘Monunentalismus (One's History is Another's Misery)’, Autocenter, Berlin, DE
‘Muhka Media’, Muhka, Antwerp, Belgium
‘Hors Pistes’ (filmscreening Episode 3), Centre Pompidou, Paris, FR
Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels, BE
2008
‘Matter of Fact; Aftermath (Capacete/A Gentil Carioca / Galeria Vermelho)’, Sao Paulo, BR
Brussels Biennial, Brussels, BE
‘Manifesta 7; Matter of Fact (The European Biennial of Contemporary Art)’, Rovereto, IT
‘L'Art en Europe (Experience Pommery #5)’, Domaine Pommery, Reims, FR
‘Neither Either Nor Or’, Wurttembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart, DE
‘To Burn Oneself with Oneself: the Romantic Damage Show’, De Appel, Amsterdam, NL
2007
‘Modern Solitude’, Galerie Fons Welters, Amsterdam, NL
‘Brave New World’, Cobra Museum, Amstelveen, NL
‘Nothing Else Matters’, Museum de Hallen, Haarlem, NL
‘Speakers’, Aeroplastics Gallery, Brussels, BE
‘Magazine Project’, Documenta Halle, Documenta XII, Kassel, DE
2006
‘A Picture of War is not War’, Wilkinson Gallery, London, UK
‘Excess’, Z'33, Hasselt, BE
‘An Evening with..’, Platform Garanti, Istanbul, TR
2005
‘I Love Video Art’, Musee dArt Contemporain, Strassbourg, FR
‘Undercurrents’, Basis Actuele Kunst (BAK), Utrecht, NL
‘Reprise’, Marres Centre for Contemporary Culture, Maastricht, NL
‘Inner and Outer Worlds’, Argos festival, Argos, Brussels, BE
‘Soft Target’, Basis Actuele Kunst, Utrecht, NL
2004
‘Constructing Visions’, TENT, Rotterdam, NL
‘Mediamatic Supersalon’, Mediamatic, Amsterdam, NL
‘Plug-In’, Futura, Prague, CZ
‘Yugoslav Biennial’, Vrsac, Yugoslavia
‘Monitoring’, Kunstverein Kassel, Kassel, DE
IDFA, Amsterdam, NL
2003
‘Urban Dramas’, De Singel, Antwerp, BE
‘Etablissements den Face’, Brussels, BE
‘Blich zum Nachbarn (Kunstfilmbiennale)’, Cologne, DE
2002
‘De Avonden’, De Appel, Amsterdam, NL
Selected screenings, symposia and events
2014
Screening Episode 3 and conversation (on the Institute for Human Activities), CUNY Center for the Humanities, NY, USA
Talk, Renzo Martens: More news on the Institute for Human Activities , Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Städelschule, Frankfurt am Main, DE
2013
On the Institute for Human Activities, CPH:DOX, Copenhagen, DK
Nina Möntmann interviews Renzo Martens, Iaspis, Stockholm, SE
Off-site panel: Art and Media in Congo, Congo in Harlem Film Festival, New York, USA
On the Institute for Human Activities, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
On the Institute for Human Activities, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, ES
On the Institute for Human Activities, Hebel am Ufer, Berlin, DE
On the Institute for Human Activities, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, NL
On the Institute for Human Activities, University College, London, UK
On the Institute for Human Activities, Wiels, Brussels, BE
Battles Of Images, Contemporary Image Collective (CIC), Cairo, EG
Interdisciplinary Seminar: T.J. Demos considers Episode III, Cooper Union School of Art, New York, USA
The Politics of the Social in Contemporary Art, (with the Institute for Human Activities) Tate Modern, London, UK
2012
Registration of the Opening Seminar of the Institute for Human Activities, Closing event 7th Berlin Biennial, KunstWerke, Berlin, DE
On the Institute for Human Activities, Staedelschule, Frankfurt, DE
On the Institute for Human Activities, Yale University, New Haven, USA
2011
Episode 3, The Thinking Eye, Kunstverein, Milan, IT
Episode 3, a conversation between Stefan Jonsson and Renzo Martens, House of Win Win, Goteborg, SE
Episode 3, A conversation between Yehoshua Simon and Renzo Martens, Israeli Center for Digital Art, Holon, IL.
Episode 1 and 3, A debate with Lieven de Cauter and Ruben de Roo, Ritz, Brussels, BE
2010
Capitalism and the Aesthetics of Knowledge in the 21st century, Kunsthalle Athena, Athens, GR
Image Mouvement, Centre d'Art Contemporain, Geneve, CH
12 Gestures, Screening and Discussion around Episode 3, with Mathieu Abonnenc, Betonsalon, Fondation Kadist, Paris, FR
Do We All Have Strength Enough to Endure the Misfortunes of Others?, A Conversation about Episode 3, with Jennifer Allen, Felix Ensslin, Renzo Martens, Ana Teixeira Pinto and Dieter Roelstraete, Salon Populaire, Berlin, DE
Episode 3, Screening, Liebaert Projects, Foundation for Contemporary Art, Kortrijk, BE
Episode 3, Screenings and Discussions in Kinshasa, Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles and Halle de la Gombe, BE
Episode 3, A Screening and Conversation with Renzo Martens by T.J. Demos and Tamar Garb, Tate Modern, London, UK
Uneven Geographies, curated by T.J. Demos and Alex Farquharson, Screening and Conversation with Alfredo Cramerotti and Renzo Martens, Nottingham Contemporary, Nottingham, UK
The Hopelessness of Contemporary Art, Symposium around Episode 3, with TJ Demos, Hilde Van Gelder, Carles Guerra, Thomas Keenan, Toma Muteba Luntumbue, Renzo Martens, The Lieven Gevaert Research Centre for Photography, Leuven, BE
Eric van Lieshout, Renzo Martens and Hans de Hartog-Jager at Museum de Hallen, Haarlem, NL
2009
‘Hors Pistes’ (filmscreening Episode 3), Centre Pompidou, Paris, FR
Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels, Belgium
Globaliseringslezing, A Conversation with Jos de Putter and Renzo Martens, Felix Meritis, Amsterdam, NL
Episode 3, A Conversation with Jan Ritsema and Renzo Martens , Kaaitheater,Theaterfestival, Brussels, BE
Episode 3, A Conversation with Dana Linsen, Renzo Martens and Joris Luyendijk, Ketelhuis, Amsterdam, NL
The Future of Picturing the World: Filming and Imaging in a Global Era. A discussion with Lilie Chouliaraki, Max Houghton, Renzo Martens, Julian Stallabrass, London School of Economics, London, UK
Episode 3, A Conversation between JJ Charlesworth and Renzo Martens, Wilkinson Gallery, London, UK
Lost and Found at the New Museum, New York, USA
Lapdogs of the Bourgeoisie, (curated by Nav Haq and Tirdad Zolghadr), Arnolfini, Bristol, UK
Hors Pistes, and Collussions, Screenings and Debates, Centre Pompidou, Paris, FR
2008
Episode 3, A Conversation with Marc Nash and Renzo Martens, Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, USA
A Prior # 16, A Conversation with Els Roelandt and Renzo Martens, Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten, Gent, BE
Joris Luyendijk debat, LUX, Nijmegen
IDFA (opening night film), Amsterdam, NL
2007
A Night with Renzo Martens, (curated by Krist Gruijthuijsen), Platform Garanti, Istanbul, TR
2000
Muhka Media, Antwerp, BE
Collections
Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, NL
Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, NL
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NL