Document Netherlands 2022

Document Nederland 2022 runs from 23 September 2022 to 15 January 2023 in the Rijksmuseum’s Photography Gallery.

Duurzaam/Sustain/Tene

The photographs are grouped in the exhibition into a variety of themes, each of which centres on human activities. They show the different ways people engage with issues such as water management, erosion and waste processing. The consequences of these activities vary: from minor to major, and from temporary to permanent. Emanuelson took the photographs in the Netherlands and the six Dutch Caribbean Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten.

Sharelly Emanuelson

The artist Sharelly Emanuelson lives in Curaçao and works part of the time in the Netherlands. Bringing together a variety of social themes, Emanuelson’s film, video, sound installation and photography work materialises her observations and her research into daily practices and the relationships between art, culture, heritage, and the remnants of colonialism. She is the recipient of the 2020 Charlotte Köhler Prize, the 2020 Volkskrant Visual Arts Public Prize, and the 2018 Black Achievement Spotlight Award.

Document Netherlands

The Rijksmuseum has commissioned a Dutch photographer to document a topical social issue every year since 1975 – the project was given its current title Document Nederland in 1997. Together, these photographs form an impressive visual history of the Netherlands from the late 20th century to today.

Document Nederland Junior

Document Nederland Junior runs concurrently with Document Nederland in the Photography Gallery. Document Nederland Junior is a photography competition for secondary school and college students. This year it included participants from the Dutch Caribbean Islands for the first time. This year’s theme is A Second Life: How Do You Recycle? Ten young people will be nominated to receive masterclasses from Sharelly Emanuelson and experts from the museum. Two winners will be selected following the masterclasses. Work by all the nominees will be on show as part of the exhibition at the Rijksmuseum.

Document Nederland Junior is made possible by The Vink Foundation / Rijksmuseum Fund

Vital support

The Rijksmuseum is grateful for all the support it receives, whether in the form of government funding, contributions from the business sector and funding organisations, or gifts, bequests and Friends. They are all of vital importance to the Rijksmuseum.