ROTTERDAM.- Lidwien van de Ven is the winner of the Dolf Henkes Award 2014, which is awarded every two years to an iconic Rotterdam artist. The jury chairman, Joop van Caldenborgh, announced the winner to the public on Thursday 18 December during the festive award ceremony in TENT. The jury was impressed by the engagement of Lidwien van de Ven and the aesthetic way that engagement is then depicted in her photographs. The work of the winner and the other three nominees – Silvia B., Esther Kokmeijer, and Ewoud van Rijn – is on show until 18 January at TENT.

From the jury report
The jury has jointly weighed the artists' oeuvres and their presentations at TENT. Silvia B. impressed with the care with which she had built, to the smallest detail, a total theatrical installation at TENT. Esther Kokmeijer surprised with the humorous and poetic power that emanates from her work. The jury praised Ewoud van Rijn for his courage in presenting a new development in his work.

The jury was ultimately the most affected by Lidwien van de Ven's social commitment and the aesthetic way that engagement is then depicted in her photographs. "Her works accurately make visible what is happening outside the view of mainstream news photography and the issues of the day. In comparison with today's world, which simply wants to see and show everything in the most banal detail, Van de Ven's layered work is remarkably quiet and thoughtful', the jury said. Lidwien van de Ven is the winner of the Dolf Henkes Award 2014 and 12,000 euro.

The winner
Lidwien van de Ven's (1963) photography concentrates on political and religious themes. Her work is shown internationally and was included in the Busan Biennale (South Korea, 2012) and Documenta 12 (Germany, 2007). For her photography and installations she received the Charlotte Köhler Prize, the Maria Austria Award, and the Stipendium Culture France. Lidwien van de Ven lives and works in Rotterdam and Berlin.

Dolf Henkes Award
At the bequest of the Rotterdam artist Dolf Henkes (1903-1989), part of his legacy is allocated for a biennial award of 12,000 euro. The Dolf Henkes Award has become the most important Rotterdam prize for visual artists and serves as recognition and encouragement of Rotterdam's artistic talent. Past winners are: Jeroen Eisinga, Erik van Lieshout, Melvin Moti, Lara Almarcegui, and Gyz La Rivière.

Jury Dolf Henkes Award 2014
Joop van Caldenborgh (art collector/Chairman), Gyz La Rivière (winner Dolf Henkes Award 2012), Marieke Wiegel (head of presentations Nederlands Fotomuseum) and Martijn Verhoeven (coordinator Visual Arts, Royal Academy of Art in The Hague).