Phantom Itch | Laura Hospes

From 19 October to 10 November, Laura Hospes exhibits at LANGart met de solo-expositie Phantom Itch.

Laura Hospes (1994) has been photographing herself since the age of sixteen, driven by a need to connect with others. Over the years, this need has not diminished; rather, it has become all the more vital. Hospes’ self-portraits are her way of articulating her inner world. Her camera comforts and understands her more profoundly than anyone else. Photography is her medium for confronting and processing the many struggles in her life. The resulting images are intense and penetrating, offering a compelling glimpse into the world of a young woman grappling with depression and anxiety. Because her work mirrors her well-being, she is currently working on a project exploring care and healing.

During her studies at the Fotoacademie, her career was launched with a boost when she won the LensCulture Emerging Talent Award. The media picked up her story, and in no time her photographs were featured on the front pages of The Huffington Post, The Daily Mail, Yahoo, and numerous others. Since then, she has worked diligently to maintain this high standard, though at a deliberate pace balanced alongside her therapies and hospital stays.

After graduating with honours, she received various awards and grants, including the Jacob Riis Documentary Award, Young Masters Art Prize, Zilveren Camera, SO2015, and Prix de la Photographie. Her work is exhibited both domestically and internationally at art fairs and exhibitions, such as in San Francisco (SF CameraWork), Venice, New York, Amsterdam (Stedelijk Museum), London, Arles (Voies Off), Paris (Le Louvre), and Berlin.

In the summer of 2024, Laura Hospes' work was showcased in the solo exhibition 'Skin Ego' at the Fotomuseum Den Haag.