Suzanne Schols (1985) is conceptual documentary photographer from the Netherlands. She holds a degree in European politics from the London School of Economics and graduated from the photography department of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague after a career in the political field. Her artistic projects deal with issues of power, influence, bureaucracy and transparency. She takes an analytical and investigative approach and is interested in showing the 'behind the scenes' of worlds not generally known. 

Her graduation project Polite Fictions about diplomatic gifts won the Startpoint Prize for European Art Graduates and the Steenbergen Stipendium public choice award. She currently splits her time between The Hague and Brussels working on a new project about interest representation and the European Green Deal. In her spare time, she teaches politics, democracy and the rule of law to high school students in the Netherlands.


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Education 

Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
BDes Photography
2016 - 2020

London School of Economics and Political Science
MSc Politics and Government in the EU
2009 - 2010

University of Amsterdam
BA European Studies
2005 - 2009

Experience

Freelance
Photography, research, production
2019 - present

ProDemos
Guest teacher
2022 - present

De Correspondent
Image editor (internship)
2019

Burson-Marsteller Brussels
Consultant, public affairs and communications
2011 - 2016

European Commission
Policy officer, information society and media
2011

Delegation of the EU to the USA
Public diplomacy officer (internship)
2008 - 2009

Exhibitions

2022  Groot Rotterdams Atelier Weekend, Het Archief, Rotterdam, NL
2021  STARTED exhibition, Berlinskej Model, Prague, CZ
2021  Steenbergen Stipendium, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, NL
2021  Startpoint exhibition, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, NL
2020  Startpoint exhibition, Kampus Hybernská, Prague, CZ
2020  Graduation Show, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
2019  World Biennial of Student Photography, Museum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina, RS
2019  A Series of Contradictions, De Helena, The Hague, NL
2018  Forgetful Number, Kulturni Centar Lab, Novi Sad, RS

Awards & residencies

2021  Artist-in-residence at Garage Gallery in Prague, CZ
2020  Steenbergen Stipendium, public choice award, winner
2020  Startpoint Prize for European Art Graduates, winner
2020  Goedman Stimuleringsprijs, winner
2020  Kassel Dummy Award, shortlisted

Talks

2021  Guest lecture, Polite Fictions, Department of Photography, FAMU, Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague
2021  Guest lectures, Process and Play, Department of Photography, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
2021  Presentation and discussion, Zefir7 presents New Signatures, organised by BNO Den Haag and Stroom Den Haag (online)
2020  Pitch, De Beeldmakers #3 review day, organised by Het Parool and Vandejong (online)
2020  Pitch, FOTODOK TakeOff #1 (online)
2020  Presentation and debate, Art and Design the World of the United Nations, organised by CBK Groningen and SIB Groningen with Salima Belhaj (MP, D66), Erna Rijsdijk (Nederlandse Defensie Academie), Eva Ronhaar (Hema Foundation) and Esther Polak (artist)

Books

2021  Polite Fictions, Behind the public face of diplomatic gifts

Press & publications

2021  The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, vol 16:1, citation, Polite Fictions
2020  Het Parool, publication, The truth is a worthless currency
2020  360 Magazine, feature, Polite Fictions
2019  De Correspondent, series of commissioned publications, Boekentips
2018  Kulttura:: Magazine, cover publication, Kaleido
2018  Baobab Magazine, publication, Mountain Road





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