Dirk Hardy

Dirk Hardy (1989, the Netherlands) explores the complexity of life in an idiosyncratic and empathic way. In the creation of his constructed tableaux, he draws from a web of personal observations, memories and imagination, and responds to both large and small events in the world. 

In 2018, Hardy started Vivarium: an ongoing series of constructed dioramas, called Episodes, that explores the complexity and coherence of today’s pressing issues. For each Episode, he meticulously designs, builds and photographs a new life-size world in his studio. In the creation of these worlds Hardy fuses his imagination, observations, personal memories and true events. Every Episode has its own topic, ramging from conspiracy theories to modern working conditions and racial profiling. The final works are full of detail and displayed life-size - one-to-one - in a window frame, sparking a direct encounter between the viewer and subject.