Holfeld's distinctive visual language assembles architectural surfaces he encounters as painterly abstractions. Through his lens and borrowing from the clean, vivid clarity of modernist painting, Holfeld transforms his studies into striking compositions of colour and geometric form. Driven by a pursuit of an ‘emotional architecture.’ A belief that emotion is a language the brain speaks. It is nonverbal, sensory and fundamental to our interpretation of reality. It is the language of memory, imagery and meaning. We cannot discuss the meaning of our surroundings without discussing emotion. 

 

As a result his work is a reflection of his own intuitive response to the spaces he encounters. What emerges from this process is both an architectural portrait and also a new distilled language, a reconsidered perspective on details which can be often overlooked when taking in the magnitude of modernist structures. The sensory stimulation Holfeld feels while working usually sends him on a semiotic journey of colour, light, texture and geometry. The resulting images are a reflection of the kinetic aspects of emotions that express themselves within his body as he enters in to dialogue with the structure through his lens. It is this raw material of human consciousness and experience, which Holfeld shares in his images. 

​

Holfeld has always gravitated towards large open spaces, developing a passion and admiration of the complex language of architecture. From 2016 onwards Holfeld has focused exclusively on his fine art practice and spent two years documenting Arabic architecture across Morocco, which he debuted in 2018, when luxury department store Brown Thomas, owned by the Selfridges group, invited him to exhibit his work in their Dublin flagship store. The Arab Irish Chamber of Commerce has acquired editions from this series. 

​

For his work, Holfeld received an honourable mention from the International Photography Awards in 2019 and was hand selected by Saatchi curators to exhibit in London’s The Other Art Fair in 2018. 

​

Earlier in 2020 Holfeld debuted his new series The Space Between in the Royal Institute of Architecture of Ireland and later returned to London to show the series in the Royal Institute of British Architects. RIBA acquired editions from this series in to their permanent and prestigious Robert Elwall photography collection. 

​

Currently Holfeld has launched his recent exhibition Conveying Space at University College Dublin. For this work Holfeld was commissioned by UCD to respond and interpret the iconic architecture found on campus to commemorate Belfield 50. The series has received awards around the world.  

​

​

Solo Exhibition

2022, Conveying Space, MoLi UCD Naughton Joyce Centre, Dublin

2021, Conveying Space, University College Dublin

2020, The Royal Institute of British Architects, The Space Between, London

2020, The Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, The Space Between, Dublin

2018, Art & Style, Selfridges Brown Thomas, Dublin, Ireland

​

Recent Group Shows

2022, Photo Ireland Festival, Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland

2022, Photo London, Somerset House, London, United Kingdom

2021, BBA Gallery Photographic Prize during Berlin Photo Week, Berlin

2021, Art Without Walls, Campari X Affordable Art Fair, London, United Kingdom

2020, The Performer, Millepiani, Rome, Italy. 
2019, The Royal Art Prize, Royal Opera Arcade Gallery, London, United Kingdom 

2018, The Other Art Fair hosted by Saatchi Art, London, United Kingdom

​

Collections

University College Dublin Permanent Collection

Royal Institute of British Architects Permanent Collection
Arab Irish Chamber of Commerce Permanent Collection

 

Awards

2022, Tokyo International Foto Awards, Fine Art/Abstract - Gold

2022, Tokyo International Foto Awards, Jury Top 5 Selection

2022, Budapest International Foto Awards, Fine Art/Architecture - Silver

2022, PX3 Prix de la Photographie de Paris, Fine Art/Architecture - Gold

2021, Budapest International Photography Awards, Fine Art-Abstract, Gold

2021, Budapest International Photography Awards, Fine Art, Second Place Win 

2021, Agility Award, The Arts Council of Ireland

2021, International Photography Awards, Abstract Architecture, Honourable Mention

2021, PX3 Prix de la Photographie de Paris, Architecture/Buildings - Silver

2021, PX3 Prix de la Photographie de Paris, Fine Art/Architecture - Silver

2020, ITSLIQUID, Artist of the Month, July 2021 Winner

2021, MONOVISIONS Photography Awards, Honorable Mention - Series, Architecture

2020, International Photography Awards, Abstract Architecture, Second Place Win 

2020, ELLE Decor Italia Top 24 Most Beautiful Architecture Photographs of 2020

2019, International Photography Awards, Honourable Mention

​

Residencies

2020, University College Dublin, Dublin

​

Education

Daniel Holfeld grew up in Ireland and graduated with a BA [Hons] degree in photography from Dublin’s Institute of Technology in 2008. 

 

​