Olga Rook is a photographer based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She sees her photography as existential.
Before turning to photographic art Olga obtained her PhD in Medieval and Early Modern History and did research in Renaissance culture. A historian’s habit of focusing on the hazy texture of remote times while being rooted in the present moment helps her reflect on the limits of everyday perception. Humans have an urge to interpret reality and attach meanings to objective events. Olga’s photography is about existential experience, about the metaphors and illusive worlds discovered and constructed through reflection and imagination.
E x h i b i t i o n s
Forthcoming: MorphoGenesis. Sehnsucht group exposition. Pulchri Studio, The Hague, 1-7 June 2025
2024 – The Hidden Source (new edition). Sehnsucht group exposition. Pulchri Studio, The Hague, 23 March – 16 April 2024
2024 – Sehnsucht group exposition. De Overkant, Ouddorp, 17 February – 12 May 2024
2023 – De Verborgen Bron, Haagse Kunstkring art association. Sehnsucht group exposition in collaboration with the Literature division (Poetry) of the Haagse Kunstkring, The Hague, 29 November – 24 December 2023
2022 – Belle Époque, Haagse Kunstkring art association. Sehnsucht group exposition in collaboration with the Literature division of the Haagse Kunstkring, The Hague, February 2022
2021 – Sehnsucht group exposition, Rhoon Castle, Rhoon, September 2021
2021 – EXISTENTIA, MUZEON Park of Arts, Gorky Park. Open air group exposition. Moscow, 18 January – 18 February 2021
2020 – Nomads of Sehnsucht, Galerie Regio Art Rijnmond. Spijkenisse
2020 – Mirrors and Reflections, LoosenArt group exhibition, Millepiani exhibition space, Rome
2019 – WONDERLAND, Outdoor exhibition in the baroque gardens of castle Assumburg, Heemskerk, the Netherlands , April 27 – October 27, 2019
2019 – The Game, LoosenArt group exhibition, Millepiani exhibition space, Rome
2019 – 12th Pollux Awards and 12th Julia M. Cameron Award, Gallery Valid Foto, Barcelona
2019 – Nomads of Sehnsucht, Gallery Crawl, Rotterdam
2018 – Winterreise, Sehnsucht gallery, Rotterdam
2018 – Wunderkammer, Sehnsucht gallery, Rotterdam
2017 – Franco Crimean Republican Scientific Library, Exposition ‘Winners of MIFA & IPA 2016’, Simferopol
2016 – The 4th Biennale of Fine Art and Documentary Photography, Berlin
2016 – Na Kashirke Gallery, Exposition ‘Winners of MIFA 2016’, Moscow
2016 – Novorossiysk Historical Museum Exhibition Hall, Photovisa International Festival of Photography. Exposition ‘Winners of MIFA & IPA 2016’. Novorossiysk
2016 – Parallax Art Fair, London
2016 – Summer Expo, EUR, Rotterdam
2015 – Portals, solo exposition. Sophie Maree Gallery, The Hague
2015 – Annual Dutch Art Fair (ADAF), Amsterdam
2015 – Still, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, Texas
2015 – Hilton, Rotterdam
2015 – Motion, PH21 Gallery, Budapest
2015 – Portraits 2014, New York Center for Photographic Art, New York
2015 – Chronograph, Darkroom Gallery, Essex Jct., Vermont
2014 – Masquerade, New Orleans Photo Alliance, New Orleans
2014 – Impact, Centennial Art Expo, EUR, Rotterdam
2014 – Landscape: Looking at Photography. Black Box Gallery, Portland, Oregon
2014 – Love, Darkroom Gallery, Essex Jct., Vermont
2014 – Five Elements, Darkroom Gallery, Essex Jct., Vermont
2014 – 71 Percent, online group exhibition, Linus Gallery, Los Angeles
2014 – Expressions: Contemporary Portraiture, The Kiernan Gallery, online annex, Lexington, Virginia
2014 – Grayscale, Black Box Gallery, Portland, online annex, Oregon
2014 – Things with Wings, PhotoPlace Gallery, online annex, Middlebury, Vermont
2014 – Portraiture: Through the Lens, Black Box Gallery, online annex, Portland, Oregon
2014 – Figures | Contexts, PhotoPlace Gallery, online annex, Middlebury, Vermont
2013 – Transformations, PhotoPlace Gallery, online annex, Middlebury, Vermont
A w a r d s
2019 – International Color Awards. Nomination in Wildlife, professional category
2018 – 12th Pollux Awards. Honorable Mention in professional division for Abstract category. Selected by the curators to particpate in an exposition in Barcelona in May 2019
2018 – 13th Annual Black and White Spider Awards. Nomination for Children of the World, professional division
2018 – International Color Awards. Nomination in Still Life, professional category
2017 – Prix de la Photographie, Paris (Px3), Honourable Mention for the “Passion Tulips” series, professional category
2017 – Fine Art Photography Awards 2017 (FAPA), Portraits, professional category for the “Mirror Twins” series. Nominee
2017 – Monochrome Photography Awards 2016. Honourable mentions in Conceptual and Portraits, professional category
2017 – International Color Awards. Honourable mentions in Abstract, professional category
2016 – Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA) 2016, 1st place winner in Fine Art, Still life, 2nd place winner overall Fine Art category; professional division; Moscow
2016 – International Photo Awards (IPA) 2016, Lucie Foundation. Honourable mention in Fine Art, Portraits, professional division
2016 – 11th Annual Black and White Spider Awards. Three nominations in professional division for Fine Art and Archtecture categories
2015 – AXA Art Talent Award (the first prize), Annual Dutch Art Fair (ADAF) 2015, Amsterdam
2015 – Master Printer’s Award, Hariban Award 2015 held by Benrido Collotype Atelier, Kyoto, Japan
2015 – Fine Art Photography Awards 2015/2016 (FAPA), two Fine Art Honorable mentions in the professional category for the “Portals” and the “Florals” series
2015 – Nomination in the Fine Art category, The 7th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers, Worldwide Photography Gala Awards. Selected for The 4th Biennale of Fine Art and Documentary Photography in Berlin 2016
2015 – Nomination for The Black and White Charles Dodgson Award, Worldwide Photography Gala Awards
2015 – 10th Annual Black and White Spider Awards. Nomination in professional division for Fine Art category
2015 – Juror’s Selection and Honorable Mention, Portraits 2014, New York Center for Photographic Art, New York, USA
2015 – LensCulture Portfolio, invitation-only
2014 – 9th Annual Black and White Spider Awards. Six nominations in professional division for Fine Art, Abstract, Still Life and Wild Life categories
2014 – Zebra Awards 2014, Black and White Photographer of the year, TZIPAC. Silver winner in the Fine Art category, professional division
2014 – Honorable Mention, Love, Darkroom Gallery, Essex Jct., Vermont, USA
2014 – Photography Award, Impact, Centennial Art Expo, EUR, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Olga is also active as a portrait and children’s photographer in Rotterdam, across the Netherlands and Belgium.