Prize for Young Dutch Art Criticism
de Appel, Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 10, Amsterdam
Prize for Young Dutch Art Criticism
De Appel, Witte de With (Rotterdam) and The Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture (Fonds BKVB) have initiated the bi-annual Prize for Young Dutch Art Criticism. The award is designed to encourage a new generation of critics and essayists focusing on contemporary art. It has been created with the aim of stimulating rigorous critical reflection by investing in the future of a qualitative art discourse.
The prize was launched in May with an opinion article from writer and jury Chairman Oscar van den Boogaard in the Flemish weekly Knack (BE) and the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad. In this article Boogaard asserts,“The art critic can function as a bridge between the artwork and the spectator, he can unlock art for the public. He can educate, inspire and surprise the reader. He can become a personal art guide.” This article was accompanied by a call for submissions to The Prize for Young Dutch Art Criticism.
Over the following six weeks, 32 essays and 40 reviews were received. Open to young writers up to 35 years old, the average age of the applicants was 29 with 72 % of the applicants coming from The Netherlands and 28 % from Belgium. The articles were submitted anonomously for judging by the jury.
The jury held a general meeting in mid-July to discuss the standards for judgement. The jury agreed the substantial monetary prize would only be awarded in the case of extraordinary writing. Member of the jury Edo Dijksterhuis said that the jury wil look for excellence and will not nominate a winner if submissions fall below this expectation. Chairman van den Boogaard further explained, “Good art criticism should stand the test of time.
Likewise with reviews – they should be interesting to be read 10 years from now.”
The jury will come together to select the nominees and the winner of the prize on September 24 and this short-list will be published on www.jongekunstkritiek.net.
The winner of the Prize for Young Dutch Art Criticism will be publicly announced on Thursday October 9 at 6pm in debate venue Zaal de Unie in Rotterdam. Further details about the program for this event will appear in September on www.jongekunstkritiek.net.
For press inquiries or more information please contact the organization via pers [at] jongekunstkritiek.net.