Borders and connections – what does asylum mean to you?
The subject of asylum is in the news almost every day. All sorts of people are talking about it: from politicians, media commentators and human rights and aid organisations to members of the public who take one side or another.
But what does asylum really mean, and why are we talking about it so much?
What does asylum mean to you? What images and emotions does the subject arouse in you?
Use your photo series to show us your take on the subject of asylum. There are all sorts of borders and boundaries in our world that separate people, but we can make connections too. Will your photographs explore a personal experience or somebody else’s world? Draw inspiration from the world around you and capture this complex and urgent issue in your own way.
What to expect if you take part
FEBRUARY to MAY: Get started on your photo series, and submit it to us before 13 May. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out the video on this page.
MAY: A professional jury and members of the public on scholieren.com will select the 10 best series (5 by secondary school students, and 5 by MBO vocational college students).
JUNE: The makers of the 10 selected photographic series will be invited to attend several masterclasses given by photographer Tina Farifteh and experts from the Rijksmuseum, culminating in an exhibition at the Rijksmuseum!
OCTOBER 2025 to JANUARY 2026: The exhibition in the Rijksmuseum will run from 10 October 2025 to 11 January 2026.
Tina Farifteh
Tina Farifteh is an Iranian-Dutch artist and photographer. Her photographic approach is conceptual and research-based, combining images, sound, text, and data. She poses uncomfortable questions about who receives empathy and how we, as a society, treat people on the run. Tina earned her Master’s degree at Erasmus University Rotterdam and a Bachelor’s degree in Photography at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague.
View Tina Farifteh’s work on her website and Instagram.
Document Nederland
This contest is part of the Document Nederland project. In 1975, the Rijksmuseum started commissioning a different Dutch photographer each year to examine a particular topical issue affecting society. Together, these photographic series form a powerful visual history of the Netherlands. This year the Rijksmuseum asked Tina Farifteh to create a visual record of her history as a refugee and her vision on the subject of asylum in the Netherlands.
If you have any questions, please contact
Merel Brugman
m.brugman@rijksmuseum.nl
Document Nederland is supported by Rijksmuseum NEXT and the Rijksmuseum Fonds, including the Floor Fonds and the Family Van Ogtrop Fond.