Nico Van Hoen is a London-based photographer whose practice navigates the realms of hauntology, aural, and visual linguistics, centering around the folk-myth of the British nuclear family. Van Hoen’s work explores deconstructed identities, loss, and episodic mourning, often incorporating archival and bootlegged sonic and visual works to create a layered, spectral narrative.
They have exhibited work at the Royal Academy Young Artist Summer Show and Antwerp Mansion’s Haçienda 2. Additionally, Van Hoen has also served as an assistant archivist at the National Gallery of Jamaica, where they contributed to the digitization of the museum archive.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢐⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠀⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠠⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠠⣤⠓⠋⠿⡍⠗⢤⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡌⠄⢸⠀⠀⠀
⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⠀⠐⠅⡤⠄⠈⠄⠁⠔⠂⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⠀⢂⡄⢠⠠⡄⣨⠮⣯⣿⡦⢽⠀⠀⠀
⢄⠀⠀⠂⠀⢀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠆⠤⠁⢀⣤⠀⠀⠀⠠⠀⢈⡄⢀⠀⠈⠄⠀⢐⡀⠄⠀⠀⠀⠰⣀⡰⢀⠀⣄⣷⣶⢼⣼⣿⣿⣚⣽⠀⠀⠀
⠒⢀⡤⠠⠄⡌⢸⣅⢠⣠⡎⠄⠤⣰⠖⠴⣦⣘⣤⣝⡤⣱⠆⠀⠀⡀⠀⣀⠀⢹⢐⣀⠀⠔⣱⣶⢾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⠀⠀⠀
⣒⣴⢴⣥⣾⣔⣟⣶⣿⣾⣾⣲⣶⣽⣳⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡗⠉⠀⠀⠈⠀⠰⡾⡀⠸⣾⣮⡞⡀⣱⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀
⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⣿⣿⡿⠟⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠋⠀⠐⢳⣾⣷⣇⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣏⡟⢣⣤⣒⣶⢷⡄⠀⠀⢠⣶⢿⡶⣦⣈⣿⣿⣧⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀
⣿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣏⣿⣭⠀⠀⠀⠁⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠁⠚⠉⠈⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣆⢯⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡀⠀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢰⣿⢾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⡇⠀⠀⠀
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢯⢿⠛⣿⡄⠀⠀⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠀⠀⠀⣸⠃⣿⣯⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢏⣡⢃⣼⣿⣷⡄⠀⠀⠀⠐⠐⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣟⣀⣿⣺⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠇⠀⠀⠀
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣏⣿⣿⣿⣷⠀⠀⢀⠀⢀⣀⠀⠐⢻⣿⣿⣿⣥⢬⣝⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣀⣀⣀⣀
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣌⡛⢿⡆⠀⠀⠈⠉⠉⠀⠀⠘⢿⣿⣿⣾⣯⣿⡈⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠛⢹⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣄⣑⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠁⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠁⠀⠀⢀⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣍⢞⠦⣀⡀⠀⠀⠐⠛⠛⠋⠛⢋⣁⣴⣾⣟⡟⠋⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⠁⢀⣌⣗⢀⠀⠉⡾⣿⣯⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣼⡑⡐⠶⡶⣶⣶⣷⣶⣶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⡠⢠⣤⠙⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⡋⠀⣠⣾⣿⣿⣀⠁⠂⠀⡿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣹⣷⣎⠺⣣⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⢽⢿⡴⣿⣿⣆⠀⠙⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⡷⣴⣿⣿⣿⣶⡿⣂⣰⡜⠆⠀⡙⣥⢿⣻⣿⣿⣯⣿⣿⢷⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣻⡿⣿⣱⣽⣿⣟⣿⣿⣿⣆⠀⠸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣷⢅⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣱⣿⣿⢷⠁⠀⠐⢻⣷⣿⣹⣿⡧⠽⢷⣿⢿⣿⣻⡿⡹⣻⣵⣿⣿⠿⣛⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡧⢨⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣾⣿⣿⣿⣥⣿⡿⢏⠀⠂⠁⠂⠃⠀⠉⡯⣿⣻⢴⣾⣹⣿⡿⡿⣿⣿⡿⣋⣥⣬⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⢿⠔⠠⢿⠈⠠⢬⣰⢆⢶⣾⢧⡳⣻⣿⣶⣬⣿⢳⡆⠀⠈⣝⠏⡩⠙⠛⢿⣿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠓⢷⣤⡤⣬⣿⣟⠀⣐⣲⣿⣿⣟⣿⢿⡪⣿⣿⣶⣯⣭⠼⠫⠀⠀⠛⢏⣃⣚⣐⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠣⣨⣾⣍⢥⣬⠚⢛⡰⡁⠀⠀⠉⠛⣻⣿⡪⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣵⣷⣧⣼⣯⠿⡿⣿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡌⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⢃⢼⣟⣮⣧⣶⣶⣿⣿⣻⡪⣿⣿⣦⣍⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⡁⣙⣱⣷⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣿⣧⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡪⣿⣿⡻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⣿⣶⡯⣽⣷⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡤⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣯⣪⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣻⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣏⣡⣾⣿⡿⡕⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⢻⣾⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠠⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣯⡏⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣿⣿⣿⣿Index
- A Cat Lick and a Promise
- Patrica Van Hoen
- BBM
- This is for them
- Tyburn convent
“Being an unmarried mother was frowned upon and you know, you were made to feel promiscuous I suppose.
Because of my mum more than anybody, because she made me feel so uncomfortable. In those days I think they were more worried about what the people would think than, you know, than how I felt.
I mean, my dad was really angry with my mum and said, you know, she needs your support. She doesn’t need your anger, because she was shouting at me and when she first found out and that made me feel very unhappy and lost, I guess.
I did, like in time, did she begin to understand more or was it that she, that throughout the, well not really, because, I mean, she made me go, well she took me to the doctors and you know, when it was confirmed she immediately started, I think, through the church because we were church goers.
She spoke to the vicar and the vicar advised her to see someone like, you know, in welfare care and it was through that I was sent to this home.
I didn’t have any choice, none whatsoever, I was just told I was going.
It was in South Croydon, it was a very long way away, but to be fair they did visit me four or five times during my stay there and she was still hoping that I would have the baby adopted, which I was adamant I was not going to do. It was a church home so we had to have prayers every morning and in the evening and you had to work in the mornings.
There weren’t that many women there so there was a limit to what you could do, There were, there were five in the room and there was a separate nursery for the babies. I made a friend in the bed next to me, Anne, she kept her son too. It made a lot of difference that, you know, you got somebody else too.
When my Mother came to pick me up she told me I had to leave Mark, until I actually put the baby in her arms. Then she, you know, she accepted it and loved him very much. I dont know what I would’ve done if she hadn’t, I often think about what I could’ve lost that day, and what so many others did loose.”