Marvel Harris (b.1995) is a photographer born and raised in the Netherlands. His photographic work draws deeply from his personal journey. As an autistic, transgender individual who identifies as genderqueer, he addresses ongoing mental health challenges in his photography.
While suffering from an eating disorder and depression, Harris started capturing himself with a camera to manage emotions he could not adequately put into words. Observing his life unfold through his work, he realized how photography helps him understand his own complex identity. The resulting self-portraits are part of his ongoing long-term project entitled Inner Journey, and they aim to communicate with a raw honesty. Stemming from a personal craving to connect with the world around him, this autobiographical story, where photography and life entwine and merge, invites others to participate in his vulnerability, offering them an insight into his mind.
Harris graduated from the Nederlandse Fotovakschool in Apeldoorn in 2018. In the same year, he participated in the Keep an Eye Fotovakschool Award scheme, winning 1st prize for the best photographic work and most original project plan.
Harris has since won several prizes with his work, including the 1st prize of the prestigious Zilveren Camera in the documentary category (2018), and was selected by LensCulture as one of the Emerging Talents (2019), and by Foam as one of the Foam Talents (2022). His work has been widely exhibited nationally and internationally, most recently at Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam and the South London Gallery. A number of collections have acquired photographs by him, including the Art Collection Deutsche Börse in Germany and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. His book MARVEL (self-published, 2020) won the MACK First Book Award 2021 and got republished in August 2021.
