Amsterdam’s photography museum Foam has announced Hiền Hoàng as the winner of this year’s Foam Paul Huf Award. Hoàng was chosen by an independent, international jury from a shortlist of artists including Eleonora Agostini, Hicham Gardaf, Hoda Afshar, Katrin Koenning, Mari Katayama, Oleg Savunov, Silvia Rosi, Tarrah Krajnak and Tereza Zelenkova.
The Berlin-based artist featured as part of ArtReview’s Future Greats issue, in which Fi Churchman described how ‘Hoàng engages in a kind of critical self-fetishisation that draws from her experiences of racial abuse and sexual stereotyping while living in Germany.’
On receiving the award, Hoàng said: ‘I am deeply honored to receive this award, which recognizes and affirms my exploration of cultural identity, human-nature interactions, and societal narratives. Currently, positioned at the intersection of art and science, my work investigates the narratives and memories associated with nature. This award inspires me to deepen my explorations, pushing further into these complex themes.’
The Foam Paul Huf Award, now in its eighteenth year, awards €20,000 and a solo exhibition at the museum to an artist. Previous winners include Mikhael Subotzky, Pieter Hugo, Alex Prager, Daisuke and Lebohang Kganye. Hoàng will present her exhibition in 2025.
The jury also gave special mention to Australian-Iranian artist Hoda Afshar ‘whose work pushes the boundaries of where documentary and conceptual photography intersect’, drawing attention to her project In Turn which addresses the ongoing struggle for women’s rights in Iran.
