The TAA (TAA) is the annual competition for the best graduation films, shorts and animations from all Dutch art academies and Switzerland. A team of expert scouts made a selection of the best audiovisual works during the graduation exhibitions. During the screening, the works were assessed by a jury consisting of prominent figures from the visual arts and film world. That evening, they selected the winner of the TAA and the Best Foreign Film Award. This year, the TAA 2016 jury consisted of: Roos Gortzak (director Vleeshal, Middelburg), Giovanni Carmine (director Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, Switzerland), Sabine Himmelsbach (Haus der Elektronischen Künste Basel, Switzerland) and artist duo and winners of the TAA 2009 Witte van Hulzen & Sander Breure. The winners received a residency in Switzerland and Rotterdam. During this residency, the young artists are given the opportunity to further develop themselves and get to know another culture.
During the awards show on July 15, 2016 the best audiovisual work from home and abroad was shown on the big screen in Cinerama. In addition to the jury's assessment, the public also had the opportunity to choose their favorite work. Michiel Ubels from the Academy of Fine Arts, Maastricht won the TAA 2016. Pascal Reinmann from the Hochschule der Künste, Zurich won the Best Foreign Film Award. De Public's Choice Award went to Dinu Comendant from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague.
The works will then be exhibited for nine weeks in one of the halls of TENT, the platform for 100% contemporary art in Rotterdam. TAA serves as a springboard for recently graduated artists who are given the opportunity to show their work to a large, international audience of professionals and art and film enthusiasts.
Dutch and Swiss scouts
The professionals who will scout the final exam exhibitions include: Sara Bachour (winner TAA 2015), Arianne Kamsteeg (producer de Appel arts center), Vincent van Velsen (art critic and curator), Lindy Kuit (art and architecture critic), Marloes de Vries (curator Showroom MAMA), Jan de Vries (co-founder KINO Rotterdam), Noor Kloosterman (independent curator), Isidoor Roebers (producer at Fonk Film), Judith Spijksma (art historian) Alexandra Stäheli (project leader Atelier Mondial in Basel), Andrea Bellini (director Center d'Art Contemporary in Geneva), Georgina Casparis (curator Manifesta 11) Simona Monizza (curator experimental film EYE) and artist Johannes Dullin.
Host country Switzerland
Every year TENT invites a different guest country. It was particularly interesting for the TAA to invite Switzerland as a guest country this year. Switzerland is in the spotlight this year because of the biennial pan-European Manifesta Biennial which is being organised for the 11th time this year. Manifesta started as a Dutch initiative and was first organised in Rotterdam in 1996. Now, twenty years later, it takes place in Zurich, Switzerland. Thanks to internationally renowned artists such as Fischli/Weiss, Pipilotti Rist and Thomas Hirschhorn, Switzerland is also developing into a true paradise for lovers of contemporary art and culture. With an abundance of offers, many museums and galleries, music, theatre and literature festivals attract people to a small area. Hardly any other country has more museums per capita than Switzerland. In addition, the annual Art Basel art fair attracts an international crowd. Internationally, Swiss film is a late bloomer. This is partly due to the cultural uniqueness of Switzerland, the division into three large language areas. All parts – French-speaking, Italian-speaking and German-speaking Switzerland – focused much more on their neighbouring countries than on each other. As a result, the development of film history was and is different in each part of Switzerland.
The nominees for the TAA were:
Heidi Hörsturz – ArtEZ University of the Arts, Enschede
Michiel Ubels – Academy of Fine Arts, Maastricht
Reynaert Vosveld – ArtEZ University of the Arts, Zwolle
Dinu Comendant – Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
Martha Thissen – AKV St. Joost, Den Bosch
Dwight Fagbamila – AKV St. Joost, Breda
Jotte den Dulk – University of the Arts, Utrecht
Lina Kaplan Vieira – Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam
Sophie Spendel – Minerva Academy, Groningen
Koen Janssens – Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam
Michiel Ubels from the Academy of Fine Arts, Maastricht won the TAA 2016.
The nominees for the Best Foreign Film Award were:
Dominique Wyss – Hochschule der Künste, Bern
Pascal Reinmann – Hochschule der Künste, Zurich
Galaxia Wang – Haute école d'art de design, Geneva
Jasmin Bigler & Nicole Weibel – Hochschule Luzern – Design & Art, Lucerne
Julia Minnig & Jelena Nikolić – Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst, Basel
Pascal Reinmann from the Hochschule der Künste, Zurich won the Best Foreign Film Award.
The Public Choice Award went to Dinu Comendant from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague.
Exhibition TAA: July 21 – September 18, 2016.
Media partner TAA 2016:
BK information
The TAA 2016 is made possible by the G. PH. Verhagen Foundation en Pro Helvetia