Fred Robeson

My work focuses on the impact the economic and political climate has on our urban and natural surroundings. Cities and nature expand and shrink, through war, natural disasters and loss of cultures. More and more though cities and nature are being treated as currency in an explosive market for natural resources or real estate value, disregarding its inhabitants. Refugee camps are turning into new (temporal) cities, cities are being gentrified and nature is still disappearing at an alarming rate.


Fred Robeson is a fictional character developed by Jeroen van Dooren


Jeroen van Dooren’s work and research focus on contemporary notions of subjectivity, performativity and the role of the contemporary artist. Through fictional writing he creates characters which he develops into contemporary artists with each their own style of working



How does the adaptation of the literary concept of the heteronym from fictional writing to contemporary art practice affect the artist’s identity and resulting narratives? What does it mean to create and embody a fictional artist who is separate from the self and how does this alter our perceptions of selfhood? In my work I bring together the literary concept of the heteronym, contemporary a...

Royal College of Art London PhD Arts and Humanities 2020

Royal College of Art London, printmaking 2014

BFA Kunstacademie Minerva, Groningen The Netherlands 2008

Exchange student Hunter College, City University New York 2007

I exhibited extensively in ao: El Leyak, The Intuitive Machine, Santiago de Chile (2019), Five Trillian Times, China Academy of Art Hangzhou Museum (2019), Molten Capital Artist Residency, Pontificia Universidad Catholica de Chile,
Santiago de Chile (2018) Tulca Festival of Visual Arts 2016, Galway, Ierland, Fluorescent Arts Festival Soho 2015, Londen, No Time For Hysteria, The Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Ireland, Royal Academy Summer Show 2014 and 2018, Londen, Royal College of Art Graduation Show 2014, Londen. Multiplied Art Fair, Christie’s, London.

Awards include: Postcode lottery People’s Postcode Trust UK 2018, Royal College of Art London student-led event competition 2016, The Art House Royal College of Art student competition 2016, Young Talent Award 2015 Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds The Netherlands, RCA London Riverlight Student award 2014, Thames Barrier Print Studio Graduate Award 2014, Travel and Training award Arts Council Ireland 2012, Annual Programming Grant The Arts Council Ireland 2012, Galway City Arts Grants 126 Gallery Ireland 2011, Grootbrugmansfonds Travel Grant The Netherlands 2007

I am represented in the collections of V&A London, St James - Berkeley Group, Royal College of Art Collection, ...