Thomas van Poppel
Photography BA
Royal Academy Of Art The Hague KABK
Specialisms: Photography / Film / Sound Art
Location: Cologne, Germany
Thomas van Poppel
First Name: Thomas
Last Name: van Poppel
Specialisms: Photography / Film / Sound Art
Sectors:
My Location: Cologne, Germany
University / College: Royal Academy Of Art The Hague KABK
Course / Program Title: Photography BA
About
Growing up alongside the rapid expansion of the digital world, I’ve spent much of my life suspended between physical reality and virtual space. My formative years were shaped by screens—by endless scrolls, algorithmic feeds, and a sense of presence that felt both immediate and abstract. Over time, I began to sense how these digital habits shaped not just my attention, but my inner life and connection to others.
Through my work, I explore what feels increasingly lost: the quiet, the spiritual, the tactile. I seek to rediscover and reframe reality—offering glimpses of a world that hums beneath the noise. Using light, photography, video, and sound, I create immersive environments that invite both confrontation and contemplation. My aim is to make space for moments of reflection, where viewers can reconnect with the more intuitive, poetic aspects of being.
What is Solitude? Is it loneliness-or simply being alone? In an age of constant connectivity, our alone time has changed. What was once a moment for rest, reflection, or stillness has become filled with distractions and endless scrolling. The digital world invited us outward, pulling our attention away from ourselves. SOLUS reimagines solitude-not as absence, but as presence. A moment to pause, turn inward, and reconnect. When we shift our focus away from external noise and toward our inner world, solitude can become a space for healing, processing, and growth. The work consists of two chapters. The first part is a video installation reflecting on today’s digital distractions and the noise that distances us from ourselves. The second is a meditative experience-an invitation to slow down, let the mind wander, and step into your own inner space. Can Solitude offer the clarity we need in a hyperconnected, yet lonely world?
Competitions
