The Vincent van Gogh, Bi-annual Award for Contemporary Art in Europe
in memory of the late Monique Zajfen, patron of the arts
The Vincent is an initiative of the Broere Charitable Foundation and is organised by the Bonnefantenmuseum,
Maastricht, The Netherlands.
The Broere Charitable Foundation has installed the Award in memory of Monique Zajfen. The award is dedicated
to the European Community trusting that it will stimulate visual artists, while enhancing communication in a free,
united and peaceful Europe.
The Province of Limburg and the city of Maastricht support the Award to
commemorate the European Maastricht Treaty of 1992.
The Award of 50.000 Euro has been installed to support the work of European artists in the midst of their career
and will be first attributed in September 2000.
By March 2000 two acclaimed commissioners will be appointed to make a shortlist of six European artists. Their
work will be on show in the Bonnefantenmuseum June 10 until September 24, 2000.
The jury 2000 will be presided by Sir Nicolas Serota, director of the Tate Gallery, London. The jury will further
consist of the two commissioners, two artist-members and the director of the museum (non-voting member).
Since 1994, the discourse in contemporary art is almost contained to Western Europe and North America: says
Alexander van Grevenstein, director of the Bonnefantenmuseum. For some years now contemporary art is a
more global issue. South America, Asia and Africa are joining in. Of course we welcome such a development.
Non the less each continent has to contemplate its own roots and tradition. Europe is certainly the most complex
and most divided in that respect. How European can one beNULL The Award will not give answers but is aimed to
raise questions with a louder voice than usual.
For further information please contact Mat Verberkt or Monique van Haaster
(00 31 43 32 90 190, E-mail: vhaaster@bonnefanten.nl or mat@bonnefanten.nl
Profile Broere Charitable Foundation
The activities of The Broere Charitable Foundation were initiated by the late Messrs Jacobus and Bastiaan
Broere. These gentlemen were the founders of Geb. Broere N.V.,
a shipping and oil company, established in Dordrecht, the Netherlands.
The Foundation aims to stimulate medical research in particular and contributes from time to time to issues with a
common cause.
Profile Monique Zajfen
Monique Zajfen, a cosmopolitan by nature, was born in Paris and spent the greater part of her adult life in New
York and Antwerp.
Already at a young age, she was passionate by art and with her intuitive taste she laid the foundation of an art
collection which has now become representative for this century.
In 1979 she opened Gallery 121 in Antwerp with her friend Emy Tob-de Toledo. During 13 years this gallery
was the image of an exciting and creative period. Her quest for freedom and spirit attracted many young and or
upcoming artists to her gallery, such as Kate Blacker, Jacqueline Böse, Helen Chadwick, Sandro Chia,
Francesco Clemente, Robert Combas, René Daniëls, Sylvie Fleury, Zaha M. Hadid, Keith Haring, Teun Hocks,
Robert Mapplethorpe, M. Pistoletto, Herve and Richard di Rosa, S. Solano, Luk van Soom, Narcisse Tordoir,
Henk Vis.
Related Links:
