The names of the winners of the Piket Art Prizes have been announced. The lucky ones are Marieke Peeters (Painting), Isla Clarke (Dance), and Joep Hendrikx (Dramatic Arts). All three receive an 8,000 Euros cash prize, as well as a unique sculpture designed and created by The Hague artist Kim David Bots. The Piket Jury Prize goes to 1646 Experimental Art Space, a project space for contemporary art located in the Boekhorststraat in The Hague. The Piket Art Prizes are an annual prize for three promising young professional artists in the fields of painting, dance, and dramatic arts.
Marieke Peeters (Painting)
From the Jury Report: “Marieke Peeters creates large installations which engulf the viewer and present one-to-one encounters. They often have a performative character. Her work is based on highly personal emotions and experiences; it has a certain ambiguity and a somewhat dark undercurrent. The jury finds her work impressive and fascinating and is especially curious about the development of its theatrical side.”
Isla Clarke (Dance)
From the Jury Report: “Isla Clarke (Netherlands Dance Theater 1) is unique in several different ways. First of all, she is a remarkable dancer with a huge charisma and her very own way of moving. Her dancing shows the depth of her living – how she seeks to perform in a way that genuinely reflects where she stands at a certain point in time. In addition, Isla is a trans woman in the middle of her transition. She has chosen to do this transition through her career and incorporate the process in her artistry, which creates a very special artistic situation. The jury wants to honour and celebrate Isla’s choice and quest.”
Joep Hendrikx (Dramatic Arts)
From the Jury Report: “Joep is a frank and open player, full of humour, bold. As a member of the Poezieboys duo he has, over the past few years, developed into a poetry expert and an interpreter of poetry with a strong voice of his own. Joep’s delivery is incredibly beautiful and his handling of poetry and language shows increasing depth and maturity. The jury is impressed by the way in which the Poezieboys manage to mobilize young people for the art of poetry and convinced of Joep’s role as an example for a new generation of theatregoers ánd makers.”
Piket Jury Prize: 1646 Experimental Art Space
From the Jury Report: “With this jury prize, the Piket Art Prizes jury would like to honour the organizers of 1646 for their long and very consistent positive presence, which over the years has been of great significance. During the pandemic, 1646 also played an important supportive role. Without any doubt, the cultural climate of The Hague has benefited from its efforts, attitude and programming for a very long time.”
Apart from the winners, this year’s nominees were Daniele Formica and Janne Schipper (Painting), Faile Sol and India Sardjoe (Dance), and Billy de Walle and Nick Renzo Garcia (Dramatic Arts).
The jury, who keep an open eye for young talent in each category, this year consists of: chairman Jan Zoet (director of Amare), Lea van der Vinde (director of Museum Huygens’ Hofwijck and Huygens’ Swaensteyn), visual artist Joncquil de Vries, Amos Ben-Tal (dance collective OFFprojects), Isabelle Chaffaud (Meyer-Chaffaud), John de Weerd (programmer Zaal 3 and De Parade) and actress Ellen Goemans.
Since 2014, the Piket Art Prizes have been awarded annually to young artists who have come to fruition in or are actively contributing to the cultural climate of the Dutch city of The Hague. Frederik Hendrik Piket (1927-2011) was a solicitor and member of the Dutch Senate. He was also a great art lover. After his demise, a foundation was established with the aim to annually honour three promising professional artists age 30 and younger with a prize.
Photo: Janneke van Beek
