Introduction

Jury Chairman Alexandre Furtado Melville and jury members Juul Hondius and Vincent van Velsen selected five photographic graduation works for the Steenbergen Stipendium 2022. On April 14, 2023, the Stipendium was awarded to Romina Koopman.

The jury says
"In Pursuit of Tongo" is a journey through time and space, a profound reflection on both the fear and the love for a mother tongue. Uedia Ballijn views this work as a correspondence with her younger self, a journey she has undertaken through images and writing to create a new self. This new self moves through an immersive linguistic space that challenges the viewer to, in a sense, find Ballijn's words on the tip of their tongue.

The core of "In Pursuit of Tongo" lies in Ballijn’s personal quest to overcome her fear of speaking Sranantongo. She explores how interpersonal influences in her daily communication are deeply rooted in a historical context, offering us insight into how the effects of a colonial legacy continue to impact our contemporary language and interactions. Her journey begins in childhood, when speaking and writing in Dutch was imposed by her parental figure. The research demonstrates how negative societal beliefs stemming from a colonial legacy echo in social spaces and how language intertwines with them.

Aaryan Sinha (KABK)

This isn’t Divide and Conquer
"This isn’t Divide and Conquer" is a study by Aaryan Sinha in which he captures the current, shaped Indian landscape and identity through various historical events. The project took form during a journey to both old and new places in the border region with Pakistan; it traces the traces and consequences of British rule. Through "This isn’t Divide and Conquer", the direct and indirect impact of the partition 75 years ago between India and Pakistan is visualized from a modern perspective.

Antonia Valentina (Rietveld)

A call to anyone

What Antonia Valentia presents in "A Call to Anyone" is far enough to be new and close enough to feel familiar. Her research focuses on 23-year-olds and the ACTA building in Amsterdam-South. In a bold manner, Antonia Valentia succeeds in capturing both subjects in the context of the current zeitgeist.

Noor Boiten (St. Jooost)

I carry all the names I’m given
Although the societal debate on gender inclusivity has expanded, Noor still feels the pressure to choose a label. Instead of selecting a pronoun with which Noor identifies, the reflection is sought elsewhere. The work consists of various components in which a fusion has taken place between different stories, online sources, and experimental approaches to sculpture and video. *I carry all the names I’m given* is about the fictional life of a random JPEG image file that goes through human emotions.

Sean Charlton White (KABK)

Welcome in the Netherlands – A Visual Study of Western Society Through the Dutch Neoliberal Utopia
"Welcome in the Netherlands" is a semi-fictional satirical documentary about the Dutch neoliberal utopia, which could be extended to the West. The project highlights various challenges from our past, present, and future, revealing and questioning the absurdities of Dutch society through its relationship with its surroundings. By using visual codes of documentary photography, where facts and fiction are intertwined, the work produces images that blur the boundaries between reality and fiction. A satire has emerged that challenges traditional forms of documentary while exploring how the Dutch have reshaped their reality.

Uedia Ballijn (Willem de Kooning)

"In Pursuit of Tongo"
"In Pursuit of Tongo" is a project that explores the fear of speaking. This personal journey and extensive research inspired the search for a tangible representation of the essence of the project – a physical space that could embody and materialize the findings. The project makes use of the "Mattenklopper", a sacred Surinamese symbol traditionally woven into jewelry. By using this symbol, Uedia aims to bridge the gap between the various factors she has examined and reflected upon.

The installation serves as a dynamic platform where both a video documentation and the edited 'Mattenkloppers' can be discovered. It symbolizes an ongoing dialogue, a transference between her past, present and future – a constant exchange and re-experiencing of memories.