Rene Coelho Award 2009

16-09-2009

A jury comprised of Martijn van Nieuwenhuyzen, curator at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Josephine Bosma, a writer, and Nathalie Bruys, a visual artist, has proclaimed the work 'You'll never walk alone' (13', 2009) by Witte van Hulzen and Sander Breure the winner of the 2009 Rene Coelho Prize. Witte van Hulzen and Sander Breure are 2009 graduates.

The prize, named after René Coelho, the founder and former director of the Institute, is comprised of the sum of € 2500,- and the provision of production facilities in the value of another € 2500,- in order to produce a new work. This means, for instance, that the prizewinner can work in the editing rooms independently or with an editor, or can make use of recording equipment or computer facilities (including programmers) in the Artlab. The prizewinner is given six months time to make a new artwork, and within a half a year after the award ceremony the winning graduation work and the new work will be exhibited in a presentation at the Netherlands Media Art Institute.

Trailer

Jury report

The jury was pleasantly surprised by the quality and diversity of the works nominated. Even if we had several favorites, two works finally had our preference. Unfortunately only one could win. An honorary mention therefore goes to Rachida Ziani and Dewi de Vree with their Electrolab.
After careful deliberations, for the winning artwork we decided on a work that managed to provoke our intense and fascinated viewing. The artists showed a keen eye for both their subject and the technical possibilities of the medium they used. The work in question was described by members of the jury as ‘mysterious’, ‘rhythmic’, ‘absurd’, and ‘fresh’. With a subtle level of suspense the artists present a tantalizing portrait of cultural tensions, and a slightly ironic choreography of new positions on an ancient continent. The result is an installation that captivates its audience and leaves echoes of its images long after the film has stopped. We are happy to announce that the winners of the 2009 Rene Coelho Prize are Witte van Hulzen and Sander Breure, with their work ‘You’ll never walk alone’.