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.
Students were asked to share their perspective on the theme of asylum through a photo series and to capture this complex and urgent issue in their own way.
The top 10
This year, we received a total of 82 photo series. The ten best series (5 from secondary education and 5 from vocational education) were selected by a professional jury and the public via scholieren.com. The creators will soon be invited to participate in masterclasses and a special exhibition at the Rijksmuseum.
The following photographers make up the top 10, divided between secondary education and vocational education (in alphabetical order
Secondary Education
- Ashlynn van der Meer, Willem Blaeu, Alkmaar
- Eva van Kampen Franco, School voor Jong Talent, Wassenaar
- Lorenzo Colesanti, Rijnlands Lyceum Oegstgeest, Leiden
- Maysa Chouaibi, Wolfert Tweetalig, Rotterdam
- Sofija Dutina, Eerde International Boarding School, Ommen
Vocational Education (MBO)
- Amina Alagha, ROC Midden Nederland, Putten
- Angel Alassaf, MBO Rijnland, Zoetermeer
- Jorik Rap, Koning Willem I College, Wijchen
- Khadija Saidi, ROC Midden Nederland, Amersfoort
- Neeltje van der Laak, SintLucas, Deurne
What to expect if you take part
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!
November 2025 to January 2026: The exhibition in the Rijksmuseum will run from 1 November 2025 to 11 January 2026.
JURY
This year’s jury is composed of a diverse group of professionals from the fields of photography, art, and education: photographer and visual artist Tina Farifteh, curator of photography at the Rijksmuseum Hans Rooseboom, director and writer Harmen van Liemt, Anna Moschioni from Irma Boom Office, Shirley den Hartog from the Erwin Olaf Foundation, photographer Annemijn Groeneveld from Scholieren.com, and Denise Woerdman from Fotolab Kiekie.
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. Farifteh 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.