The Behind the Lens Award

Behind the Lens Award (formerly the Berry Koedam Award)

Background

The award is named after Berry Koedam, renowned for her wide-ranging work as a gallery owner and her many collaborations within the Rotterdam art world. Born into an artistic family and trained as a visual artist, Koedam founded the RAM Gallery in 1986, initially as a living room gallery on 's Gravendijkwal in Rotterdam. With this step, she stepped back from her own artistic practice to focus on supporting other artists.

In 1987, she co-founded STEK, an artists’ initiative, where she also worked as a curator. In the 1990s, the gallery moved to a larger space, enabling the display of bigger sculptures and installations. In 1994, the RAM Foundation was established, allowing Koedam to expand the gallery’s reach beyond traditional exhibition formats and engage her audience through lectures and support programs.

About the Award

The Behind the Lens Award recognizes image makers in the Netherlands who excel in documenting art, exhibitions, and artistic communities. Candidates are nominated by a group of approximately 30 art and museum professionals, artists, and editors from across the country. Selected nominees submit a portfolio for assessment.

The award was made possible by the RAM Foundation from 2021 to 2023 and will be funded by the Mondriaan Fund from 2024 onwards.

The MELLYs Awards

This year, as part of The MELLYs Awards, the Behind the Lens Award (formerly the Berry Koedam Award) will be presented with a prize of €25,000, in recognition of the essential image makers who, through their expertise in documenting art, exhibitions, and artistic communities, shape how art is seen, remembered, and understood.

Meet the Jury

The jury for the Behind the Lens Award brings together experts with deep experience in photography, contemporary art, and cultural production, ensuring that the award honors image makers whose work documents, interprets, and amplifies artistic practice and cultural life.