Marvel Harris (b. 1995) is a photographer born and raised in the Netherlands. His photographic work revolves around his experiences as an autistic, genderqueer, transgender person who has struggled with mental health problems for many years.
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. This prize boosted his early career.
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 at institutions such as Melkweg Expo in Amsterdam, Museum Hilversum in Hilversum, Musea Zutphen in Zutphen, Webber Gallery in London, Baxter St at the Camera Club of New York in New York, the Benaki Museum in Athens, the Shanghai Center of Photography in Shanghai, FOTODOK in Utrecht, and Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam in Amsterdam. His book MARVEL (self-published, 2020) won the MACK First Book Award 2021 and got republished in August 2021.
