Harry Pennings Prize 2026 – A Look Back
- Irma van Bommel
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
From 7 March to 9 May 2026, Pennings Foundation presented the seventh edition of the Harry Pennings Prize.
The prize was established in 2007 by Galerie Pennings, in memory of Harry Pennings — founder of one of the first galleries for autonomous photography in the Netherlands — and to offer emerging photographers a platform to distinguish themselves and present their work.
Selection Process: From Longlist to Exhibition
For this edition, several experts in autonomous photography were invited to nominate promising photographers: graduates from art or photography academies, living in the Netherlands or Belgium. From a longlist of thirty candidates, the jury selected a shortlist of nine nominees:
Andong Zheng, Basile Rabaey, Elizar Veerman, Eveline van Hamond, Maryam Touzani, Merel Hegenbart, Michelle Piergoelam, Tony Dočekal and Tyler Chan.
Their projects formed the group exhibition on view at Pennings Foundation for two months. Visitors could vote for the Audience Award, while the professional jury announced the winner of the main prize on 18 April 2026.
The jury
The jury consisted of: Hendrik Driessen – former director of Museum De Pont, Roos Schouw – editor-in-chief of Focus and Henk Wildschut – photographer.
According to the jury, the selection showcased the diversity of contemporary photography: from personal investigations to socially engaged projects. This breadth made the final decision all the more challenging.
Winner Harry Pennings Prize 2026: Andong Zheng
The jury selected Andong Zheng (1992), a graduate of the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague, as the winner with his project How to (Un)Name a Tree.
From the jury report:
The presentation is both intriguing and layered. The large black-and-white photograph of an old pine tree supported by a bamboo structure immediately draws the eye. The prints on loose sheets of paper — which visitors are invited to lift — simultaneously reveal and conceal. The film on the TV screen shows people working in nature, prompting questions about our human desire to control that very nature.
We name trees, categorise them, and try to impose order. Yet when lifting the sheets, our own vulnerability becomes visible. While humans often contribute to destruction, nature continues regardless. A presentation that resonates and sparks discussion.
Andong hopes the project invites reflection on topics such as colonialism, epistemology, post-positivist critique, and geopolitical ideologies to emerge.
Audience Award 2026: Eveline van Hamond
The Audience Award was won by Eveline van Hamond (1999) for her series What They Left. Eveline, trained at SintLucas Eindhoven and Narafi School of Arts in Brussels, guides the viewer through a disappearing world in former Yugoslavia.
Eveline explored the traces of migration in Kamenica and how personal history gives meaning to a place. During her return with her mother, she documented the physical locations, but above all the encounters and relationships that make this history visible. Her documentary eye, exceptional sense of colour and composition, and the warmth radiating from her images left a strong impression on visitors.
Merel Hegenbart (1997) – Try Not To Change – Photography Changes Everything
A diptych about freedom, friendship, love, grief, and the transformative power of photography, which can be both healing and destructive. Merel presents an overwhelming stream of images: visually appealing, humorous, yet confrontational. Her obsessive use of photography mirrors the flood of images on social media. The thick book is both a humorous statement and an essential part of the work.
Maryam Touzani (1997) – Argania: Lack of Information is my Family History
“With little to no information about my family history, setting off on a journey tracing the story of my Moroccan ancestry and multicultural upbringing.” Associative image collages lead the viewer through a personal yet relatable search. The selection invites curiosity about the broader project.
Tony Dočekal (1992) – The Color of Money and Trees
Tony Dočekal explores identity, belonging, and the friction between autonomy and societal expectations. Her images reflect trust and familiarity with a wide range of people. The photos, both snapshots and posed, are captivating. Check out the book to fully understand the project.
Tyler Chan (2002) – East West Market
A documentary project showing contemporary Chinese identities across the global diaspora. The series focuses on individuals who challenge stereotypes through self-expression and a shared connection to hip-hop, exploring how heritage is carried forward beyond national borders.
Michelle Piergoelam (1997) – The Untangled Tales
Michelle Piergoelam’s work is grounded in the exploration of underexposed histories, oral traditions, and the resilience of cultural memory, particularly within Surinamese heritage and the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade. Extending the wall presentation with textile prints is a clever choice. The images evoke associations and questions, though they lack the discomfort one might expect given the historical context.
Basile Rabaey (1997) – Contactsheets II
What began as a scrapbook for his own films has now become a visual essay in which not only an exploration of the image takes shape, but the broader history of cinema reveals the personal life of the artist as well. The longer one looks, the more details emerge.
In Conclusion
The Harry Pennings Prize 2026 once again demonstrated the richness, diversity, and investigative nature of contemporary photography. From intimate personal narratives to socially engaged projects, the nominees brought together a wide spectrum of perspectives. It is interesting that a number of participants had chosen their own roots as a source of inspiration. We look back with pride on an edition that not only showcased emerging talent but also sparked new conversations.
Lieke Winters took Polaroids for the participants who were there
A booklet has been published for the exhibition:
Interviews
On May 8, Tyler Chan, together with Çiğdem Yüksel, was a guest at NederTürk Conversations #3, an evening at Pennings Foundation. Tyler was interviewed about his roots, feeling at home somewhere, and how he captures that with photography.
During the Photobook Festival at Pennings Foundation on Saturday, May 23, Michelle Piergoelam was interviewed by Femke Rotteveel (FOTODOK) about her new book Fourteen Leaves and a Cup of Water.
The Eindhovens Dagblad paid attention to the Harry Pennings Prize.
Foto's tentoonstelling: Lieke Winters
Portretten: Nick Le Beat, Lieke Winters, e.a.
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