This exhibition presented the work of the four nominees for the Dolf Henkes Prize: Daan Botlek, Rana Hamadeh, Rory Pilgrim and Katarina Zdjelar. The prize is awarded every two years by the Henkes Foundation to an iconic Rotterdam artist.
Dolf Henkes Price
At the request of the Rotterdam artist Dolf Henkes (1903-1989) part of his estate is intended for an incentive prize for artists who are just as iconic for the city of Rotterdam as the namesake himself. At the initiative of the Henkes Foundation, the Dolf Henkes Prize has been awarded since 2004 to visual artists who make an important contribution to Rotterdam art. Previous winners were Jeroen Eisinga, Erik van Lieshout, Melvin Moti, Lara Almarcegui, Gyz La Rivière and Lidwien van de Ven. The winner of the Dolf Henkes Prize 2016 was Katarina Zdjelar.
The jury, consisting of Alexander Ramselaar (art collector), Lidwien van de Ven (artist and winner of the Dolf Henkes Prize 2014), David Bade (artist and co-founder of Instituto Buena Bista in Curaçao), Noor Mertens (curator) and Niels Post (artist and co-founder of Trendbeheer), said about the nominees:
"Daan Botlek (Vlaardingen, 1977) is an artist who, over the past ten years, has proven capable of developing a completely unique oeuvre outside the beaten track of the art world and has thus managed to attract a large audience worldwide. From half an A4 sheet drawn in a book to a house-high mural in India, he reports on a universe in which human figures play with the rules of geometry and the laws of physics.”
“The oeuvre of Rana Hamadeh (Rachkida, Lebanon, 1983) emerges from an extensive investigation of specific concepts and terms, using the world of theories as fiction. Combining performances, cartographic work, staged images with sound and text, as well as written projects and conversations, her work unfolds as a network of associations that brings together a diversity of histories, geographies, philosophies and fictional narratives. In 2011, she began an ongoing project called Alien Encounters, as an overarching basis for a series of works that thoroughly investigate state-sponsored forms of violence and the legal apparatuses that enable them.”
“In the work of Rory Pilgrim (Bristol, 1988) social involvement and communication are central. For his projects he works closely with a variety of people, both professionals and amateurs, children and the elderly, locally and internationally. By entering into these collaborations, Pilgrim creates a place for dialogue with his work, an environment in which participants can speak out openly. He translates these gatherings and conversations into work on paper, posters with texts, video works, compositions and performances.”
"Katarina Zdjelar (Belgrade, 1979) impresses with her oeuvre in which themes such as identity, authority and community are central. With the individual as a starting point, she knows how to expose social issues and changes in society in her videos, audio works and books. Language is a recurring element that she uses on several levels at the same time. She builds a consistent oeuvre in which she remains true to her principles, medium and themes in an often catchy, penetrating visual language. Her work does not reveal itself immediately: it challenges the viewer to take a second look, to consider more closely and to reflect.”
The Dolf Henkes Prize 2016 was made possible by the Henkes Foundation, the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, the Foundation for the Promotion of Popular Power, the G.Ph.Verhagen Foundation, STOER and Powerhouse Company