Just as time is an expression of perception and change, the artistic cosmos of Navid Nuur remains in constant movement, permanently being formed by drawings, paintings, sculptures, and installations. The artist himself describes his works as “interimodules”: module in reference to the works’ conceptuality and the interrelationship between different elements, and interim as an indicator of being in-between, a temporary state of transition. Starting from matter as the substance of all things, Nuur investigates almost like an alchemist the nature of art and the world by focusing his attention on materiality and by revealing diverse manifestations. Recontextualization as well as processes of discovery and rediscovery are characteristic of his approach. Nuur examines various parameters of art and experiments with elements such as color, light, and heat, thereby exploring phenomena of perception and inspiring new ways of seeing.
Navid Nuur (born 1976 in Tehran, lives and works in The Hague) was given the Royal Award for Painting in Amsterdam in 2011, and in 2013 – together with Adrien Ghenie – he received the Discovery Prize at Art Basel Hong Kong. In 2020, the Marta Herford, among others, has dedicated a solo show to the artist. Nuur’s works can be found in significant collections including the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Musée National d’Art Moderne/The Centre Pompidou, Paris, Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin, and the Kunsthalle Zurich.
Press
Navid Nuur, Laurinda Marques, Umbigo Magazine, 22.6.2023Vita
1976
Born in Teheran
(Lives and works in The Hague)
1999—2001
Hogeschool vor de Kunsten (HKU), Utrecht
2002—2003
Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam
2002—2004
MA Plymouth University
2004
Travel Grant from Prince Bernhard Culture Fund
2005
Presentation Grant and Individual Grant, Stroom
2006—2007
Startstipendium Fonds BKVB
2010
Volkskrant Prize
Charlotte Köhlerprijs
2011
Royal Award for Painting, Amsterdam
2013
Discovery Prize, Art Basel Hong Kong (with Adrian Ghenie)
Selected Solo Shows
2024
When Doubt turns into Destiny – Oude Kerk, Amsterdam
2023
The Tentext Theory – Parliament, Paris
MONO NO AWARE NESS – Soda, Kyoto
2022
STEP BY STEP – Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin
Softly Seized – Galerie Martin van Zomeren, Amsterdam
2021
Navid Nuur. Apart from the secret that it holds – Galerie Max Hetzler, London
When meanings get marbled – Plan B, Berlin
2020
Navid Nuur. I am because of you – Kunstmuseum The Hague, The Hague
Hocus Focus – Marta Herford, Herford
What is lost in time will be found by time – Jahn und Jahn, Munich
2019
THE AFTER GLOW III I BY NAVID NUUR – NDSM, Amsterdam
Fight Light Fight – Sofie Van de Velde Gallery, Antwerp
When doubt turns into destiny Galerie Max Hetzler, Paris
2018
RE/FLECT/OR (public sculture) – Intersection Spui / Grote Markstraat, The Hague
Entrelacs (duo show with Victor Man) – Centre d'édition contemporaine, Geneva
Paintpusher – Galería Plan-B, Berlin
2017
FUNNELFLUX – Be-Part, Platform for Contemporary Art, Waregem
Sandman's Sand – Martin Van Zomeren, Amsterdam
A&N&D – Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin
2016
THE GIFT (permanent installation) – International Criminal Court premises, The Hague
2015
CONTEXT IS THE NEW CONTENT – Galerie Martin van Zomeren, Amsterdam
MINING MEMORY – Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin
Galería Plan B, Berlin
About a Work #3 – Galleria Zero, Milan
2014
The Main Remain – Galerie Max Hetzler, Paris
Renderender – DCA, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee
Color Me Closely – Trafó House of Contemporary Arts, Budapest
2013
Treasured Tensions – Club Electroputere - Centre for Contemporary Culture, Bucharest
Lube Love – Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht
Unified Not Uniformed – Martin van Zomeren, Amsterdam
TA-DA ! – Galerie des Enfants, Centre Pompidou, Paris
Phantom Fuel – Parasol Unit, London
Track&Trace – Watersnoodmuseum, Ouwerkerk
Smokebombsmoke – OUI Center of Contemporary Art, Grenoble
2012
Bergamo – Heden, The Hague
Hocus Focus – Matadero, Madrid
2011
Conductorconductor – Galería Plan-B, Berlin
It's No Crime To Tickle Time – Martin van Zomeren, Amsterdam
Post Parallelism – Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, St. Gallen
2010
Glow (Re-)discovering Eindhoven – Van Abbe Museum, Eindhoven
The Other Another – Galleri Christina Wilson, Copenhagen
Phantom Fuel – Plan B, Cluj
2009
The Value of Void – S.M.A.K ( Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst), Ghent; Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Kassel; De Hallen Museum, Haarlem
(No) Norms Forgotten – 10m2 Project space, Sarajevo
Aass Wwee bbccoommee Oonnee – Klerkx, Milan
Within Your Worlds – Martin van Zomeren, Amsterdam
In Your World – Galería Plan-B, Berlin
2008
Where It's At – Fries Museum/ Bureau, Leeuwarden
Lost Licks – 1646, The Hague
2007
The Rise of Re – Project Space Stroom, The Hague
INSIDEOUT – Moira Gallery, Utrecht
Drawing the line somewhere – duo, Ned. Cacaofabriek, Helmond
2004
Galerie De5er, Rotterdam
Selected Group Shows
2023
Drei Hubwagen und ein Blatt Papier. Die Edition Block 1966 – 2022, Neues Museum, Nuremberg
Gifted Eye – Teylers Museum, Harleem
50 seconds – Yetis International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2023, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
KISS MY SOUL – Dordrechts Museum, Dordrecht, NL
2022
Into the LIGHT – Museum Krona, Uden
50 Seconds – soda, Kyoto
Zim Zum: The Folding World – Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, London
Summer Exhibition Part II – Jahn and Jahn, Munich
Wire, Line & String – Mai 36 Galerie, Zürich
Terra incognita – Questions for the Earth – Lantz’sche Park, Dusseldorf
Beating Around the Bush #7: False Flat – Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht
ThisPlay – Arter, Istanbul
2021
Les Flammes. L'Âge de la céramique – Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris (MAM), Paris
Trailblazers. 150th Anniversary of the Royal Award for Modern Painting, Royal Palace, Amsterdam
Stations – Lustwarande, Tilburg
Hide & Hair. Contemporary ceramics acquisitions 2015–2021 – The Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics, Leeuwarden
The House of Losing Control – 17th Vienna Art Week, Nordwestbahnstraße 53, Vienna
Écrire, c'est dessiner – Centre Pompidou-Metz, Metz
Press Eject and Give Me the Tape – Martin van Zomeren, Amsterdam
2020
CoBrA. The color of freedom – Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, Schiedam
Read/ing – Quetzal Art Center, Vidigueira
Collector's Item – Centraal Museum, Utrecht
SGABELLO COLLECTION: In Search of the Miraculous project space on the inside, Amsterdam
From the Collection | Poetic Faith – Museum of Contemporary Art (S.M.A.K.), Ghent
2019
Fragile Frontiers – Yarat Contemporary Art Space, Baku
Patty Morgan Amsterdam
CHAPTER 1NE. Edson Sabajo & Guillaume Schmidt ‘Can’t be greedy… You gotta take some, and leave some’ – Het HEM, Amsterdam
Nine Iranian Artists in London: The Spark Is You – Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art, London
The Spark Is You: Parasol unit in Venice, begleitend zur Biennale di Venezia, Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello di Venezia, Venice
Freedom. The Fifty Key Dutch Artworks Since 1968 – Museum de Fundatie, Zwolle
Negativer Raum – ZKM, Karlsruhe
₡ U RR€ ₦ ₡ ¥ – NOME, Berlin
Looking at the world through rose colored glasses – Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Antwerp
2018
Out of Office: Art in Business – Singer Museum, Laren
Painting the Night – Centre Pompidou-Metz, Metz
RESISTANCE – CENTRALE, Brussels
True Luxury... Art acquisitions 2012-2018 – Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
CHARIVARI – Pamelekerk, Oudenaarde
Various Others – Jahn und Jahn, Munich
Neuer Aachener Kunstverein, Aachen
On longing and consolidation. – Art festival Watou 2018 Watouplein, Watou
PLAY Kortrijk - City circuit for contemporary art – Various venues, Kortrijk
Uns gehört die Stadt! Kids, Kunst und Krawall in Aachen Centre Charlemagne - Neues Stadtmuseum, Aachen
Møenlight Sonata – A homage to the starry sky of Møn – Kunsthal 44 Møen, Møn
Untitled (Monochrome), 1958-2018. Curated by Gregory Lang – Richard Taittinger Gallery, New York
Eruption from the Surface. The Origami Principle in Art – Marta Herford, Herford
2017
Eugenia Pop and Navid Nuur – Galería Plan B, Berlin
Het Zalig Nietsdoen Kranenburgh Museum, Bergen
Matière Grise – Galerie Max Hetzler, Paris
Radicale Sociale Animale Talen – CoBrA Museum of Modern Art, Amstelveen
THREE POSITIONS. SIX DIRECTIONS. | CHAPTER I: THE BRUTALIST IDEAL – König Galerie, Berlin
All Paintings Are Uneven – ABN AMRO Art Collection, Amsterdam
Where do we go from here? – 6 Galleries in the Jordaan Area, Amsterdam
2016
Back in 5 minutes – Martin can Zomeren, Amsterdam
Lube Love – Bonnefantenmuseum @Pinkpop-up museum, Landgraaf
la mia ceramica – Galerie Max Hetzler, Paris
Cher(e)s Ami(e)s: Hommage aux Donateurs des Collections Contemporaines – Centre Pompidou, Paris
Hacking Habitat. Art of Control, Utrecht
Illegibility. The Contexts of the Script – Art Stations Foundation, Poznan
2015
A.N.T.H.R.O.P.O.C.E.N.E. – Meessen De Clercq, Brussels
Back To The Future – Billytown, The Hague
Lekker Licht – Centraal Museum, Utrecht
Addition: Schenking Pieter en Marieke Sanders – Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Let Us Meet Inside You – De Garage Rotterdam, Rotterdam
Mountains With A Broken Edge – Havana Biennial, Havana
PASS – HISK - Higher Institute for Fine Arts, Ghent
Eppur si muove – MUDAM - MUSÉE D'ART MODERNE GRAND-DUC JEAN, Luxembourg
When I Give, I Give Myself – Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Playing Future – Kunsthalle Kiel, Kiel
Fa Fa Fa – Martin van Zomeren, Amsterdam
The Dutch Connection – S.M.A.K., Ghent
Too early, too late. Middle East and Modernity – Pinacoteca Nazionale, Bologna
Enge Gelände – Martin van Zomeren, Amsterdam
Obsession – Maison Particuliere, Brussels
Signs & Symbols – Jessica Bradley, Toronto
2014
Branched. Trees in Contemporary Art – Altana Kulturstiftung, Bad Homburg
Animal Mineral Vegetable – Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York
Allegory of the Cave Painting – Extra City Kunsthal, Antwerp
Alchemy – NEST, The Hague
Size Matters – Foundation for Art Fort at Vijfhuizen, Vijfhuizen
Picture This – SALTS, Birsfelden
Halftone: Through the Grid – Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin
Beating around the bush Episode #1 – Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht
Objects in mirror are closer than they appear – Lugar a Dudas, Cali
RE: Painted – S.M.A.K., Ghent
video screening 25 – Zero, Milan
Amnesia – Nadácia - Centrum súčasného umenia, Bratislava
2013
Behind Images – Garage Rotterdam, Rotterdam
Traces – Stedelijk Museum, s-Hertogenbosch
Agora – 4th Athens Biennale, Athens
On the Road to... Tarascon, Adrian Ghenie and Navid Nuur – Galería Plan B, Berlin
Passion de l'Art en Finistère / Collection #4 – Centre d'art contemporain de Quimper, Quimper
(T)HERE – Bonnefanten Hedge House, Wijlre
Flex-Sil Reloaded – Kunst Halle St. Gallen, St. Gallen
Casey Kaplan, New York
The Image in the Sculpture – Centre Pompidou, Paris (curated by Christine Macel and Navid Nuur)
Time, Trade and Travel – Stedelijk Museum Bureau, Amsterdam
Small Gestures – MU / Strijp S, Eindhoven
Mesures et disparition / Over maat en verdwijning – Institut Néerlandais, Paris
It wasn't there yesterday – Raster Gallery, Warsaw
2012
This Title is an Artwork of Mine – Motto Charlottenborg, Copenhagen (curated by Mikkel Carl)
The Castle in the Air. Séance of Imagination – Centre of Culture ZAMEK, Poznan (curated by Adam Budak)
Through an open window – Institut Néerlandais, Paris
A Battle for Narrative – Bonnefanten Hedge House, Wijlre
Galerie Nächst St. Stephan Rosemarie Schwarzwälder, Wien TAF / the Art Foundation, Athens
Sint-Jan – Sint-Baafskathedraal, Ghent (curated by Jan Hoet and Hans Marten)
SummerNest – Nest, The Hague
On Geometry and Speculation – official parallel project during the Marrakech Biennale, ESAV, Marrakech (curated by Hicham Khalidi)
Rollercoaster. The Image in the 21st Century – MOTI, Breda
Un paisaje holandés / A Dutch Landscape – La Casa Encendida, Madrid
Ashes and gold. A World’s Journey – Marta Herford Museum, Herford
People have the power – Zero, Milano
2011
Villa Tokyo, Tokyo
SLAA – curated by Bianca Stiger, Performance, De Balie, Amsterdam
De Nederlandse identiteit? – De Kracht van Heden, Museum De Paviljoens, Almere
Recently unpacked. How art ages – Marta Herford Museum, Herford
Royal Awards for Painting 2011 – Royal Palace, Amsterdam
ILLUMInations – The 54th Venice Biennale, Venice
Too late, too little, (and how) to fail gracefully – Kunstfort Asperen, Langedijk
Image to be projected until it vanishes – Museion - Museum of modern and contemporary art, Bolzano (curated by Mihnea Mircan)
Radical Autonomy – Netwerk / Centrum voor Hedendaagse Kunst,Aalst
Inside Installations | Collectietentoonstelling – S.M.A.K (Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst), Ghent
Falten, Searching for White, Rise above Reason – Martin van Zomeren, Amsterdam
2010
Taking Place – Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Invisible Shadows, Images of Uncertainty – Marta Herford Museum, Herford
Benefit Exhibition – Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, St. Gallen
Starter – Arter, Istanbul (curated by Rene Block)
History of Art – David Roberts Art Foundation, London
Performative Attitudes – Kunsthaus Glarus, Glarus
Up to You – Stroom, The Hague
2009
The Knight's Tour – De Hallen Museum, Haarlem
Sculptural – Collection – S.M.A.K (Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst), Ghent
Broken English – Seiler + Mosseri-Marlio Galerie, Zurich
2008
Modern Museum of Arnhem
Portfolio 1 – Galería Plan B, Berlin
Schilders – DCR, The Hague
Geoair – residency in Georgia, Tbilisi
Mariakapel, Hoorn
2007
Billy town, Rijswijk
INSIDEOUT – Moira Gallery, Utrecht
Voorstel voor – DCR Project Space, Den Haag
Drawing the line somewhere – duo, Ned. Cacaofabriek, Helmond
Lumiere – Galerie Blaak 10, Rotterdam
2006
Villa Nuts, The Hague
For a(n) relation(s) – ADA Gallery, Virginia
Countersale, Utrecht
2005
Rebound – HKU Gallery Utrecht, Utrecht
Jack of Hearts – Stroom, The Hague
2004
The Art of Management – Ecole Supérieure de Commerce, Paris
BillboartEuropean Billboard Exposition, Bratislava, Warsaw
