The Dutch Culture Minister, [size=14][red]Dr Jet Bussemaker[/red][/size], has selected film director and visual artist [size=14][red]Steve McQueen[/red][/size] as the recipient of this year’s [size=14][red]Johannes Vermeer Award[/red][/size], the Dutch annual state prize for the arts.

The Johannes Vermeer Award consists of the sum of 100,000 euros, which the winner may use to fund a special project in his or her specific field. The Dutch government established the award in 2009, its aim being to honor and encourage exceptional artistic talent. The award is intended for artists working in the Netherlands and across all disciplines.

Steve McQueen is an internationally renowned artist and film director. Born in London in 1969, he now lives and works in Amsterdam. McQueen has mastered the art of minimalist storytelling with maximum impact. In 2014, the Time Magazine named Steve McQueen as one of the hundred most influential people in the world.

He has directed and produced video works almost every year since 1993. His work can now be found in the permanent collections of the Stedelijk Museum [grey]Amsterdam[/grey], the MoMA [grey]New York[/grey], the Tate Gallery [grey]London[/grey], The Art Institute of Chicago, the Musée National d'Art Moderne George Pompidou [grey]Paris[/grey] and in many other museums.

The jury for this year’s award consisted of Ernst Hirsch Ballin [grey]chairman[/grey], Irma Boom [grey]laureate in 2014[/grey], Claudia de Breij, Ann Demeester and Stephan Sanders. The award ceremony will be held on November the 7th in the Ridderzaal in The Hague.

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