Ivna Esajas wins 13th edition of ABN AMRO Art Award

Balance, solidarity and friction

The jury is enthusiastic about the richness and originality of Esajas’ visual language, which is as delicate and subtle as it is bold and compelling. With clear, elegant lines and transparent matte fields of pigment, she constructs deceptively simple scenes that capture one’s gaze with their configurations of interlocking figures within a constantly shifting perspective. The interplay of foreground and background and interaction of bodies, narratives and time symbolise the search at the core of her work for a state of balance between solidarity and the friction of interdependence. To this end, Esajas draws from (art) history as well as from traditions and narratives rooted in Black communities and culture.

Balanced and intuitive

The scenes that Esajas portrays are deceptively simple: various configurations of interlocking figures within a constantly shifting perspective, a signature quality that captivates the viewer. The artist’s intuitive and almost carefully considered spontaneity is palpable across her oeuvre and, the jury notes, reflects her entire practice. ‘Between holding on and letting go’ – a quote from a poem by James Baldwin, an important source of inspiration for Esajas – refers both to the emotional interplay between letting go and holding on, and to her working process, in which the tension between maintaining control and trusting in chance discoveries yields images that surprise even Esajas herself. The jury also commends Esajas for her ability to embed multiple layers of meaning in her work, and, without conveying anything explicitly, thereby raise pertinent questions about how we, as human beings in an increasingly individualistic society, relate to one another and to history.

Danila Cahen, Curator of the ABN AMRO Art Collection and jury member of the ABN AMRO Art Award: “Esajas’ work is unique. She demonstrates her commitment to following her own path, regardless of prevailing trends, unreflected conventions, and the zeitgeist. She draws inspiration from myths and personal stories, Black feminist traditions, science fiction, literature, and everyday life. From this rich array of sources, she builds a poetic universe that is constantly in motion but always in balance.”

Rein Wolfs, Director of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam: “Strength and vulnerability coexist harmoniously in Esajas’ visual language. The interplay of lines arrests and steadies the viewer’s gaze, compelling us to linger over the embedded narratives, histories and perspectives as they unfold at their own pace. In a world increasingly characterized by noise and distraction, Esajas creates space for silence, complexity and togetherness.”

The jury notes that Ivna Esajas’ tendency to work independently of institutions — keeping herself out of the public eye, and thus art-world systems of valuation and expectation — is a perfect demonstration of her conviction that the work should speak for itself, and the reception of her recent work and exhibitions demonstrates the extent to which she achieves this objective. Nevertheless, the jury believes that Esajas’ work deserves more attention in the Netherlands and deems this an opportune moment to facilitate and support her endeavours. This is why, as part of the ABN AMRO Art Award, Ivna Esajas will be invited to hold a solo exhibition at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in November 2025.

The jury’s full report and high-resolution images are available here.

About Ivna Esajas

Ivna Esajas lives and works in Amsterdam. She graduated from the Utrecht School of the Arts in the 1990s and undertook the Blacker Blackness master’s degree course at the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam from 2021 to 2023. She has had a solo exhibition at Metro54 (2024) and has participated in group exhibitions at CBK Zuidoost (2024), Kunstenlab (2023) and Open Ateliers Zuidoost (2023). The Museum de Fundatie will host a solo exhibition of her work in September 2025, titled In the garden of my good days.

About the jury of the ABN AMRO Art Award

The jury for the thirteenth edition of the ABN AMRO Art Award consisted of Danila Cahen (Curator of the ABN AMRO Art Collection), Natasja Kensmil (visual artist), Erica Kostelijk (Director of ABN AMRO Transaction Banking), Emily Pethick (Director of the Rijksakademie van de beeldende kunsten, Amsterdam) and Rein Wolfs (Director of the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam).

About the ABN AMRO Art Award

The ABN AMRO Art Award has been supporting artists in their development since 2004. The Award is being presented for the 13th time, and supports promising female talent in the Netherlands. This signifies the bank’s and the Stedelijk Museum’s shared mission of promoting equality and inclusion in the art sector. Through the Award, ABN AMRO wants to provide artists support to boost their development, offering them a platform to reach as wide an audience as possible and to facilitate beginnings: to serve as a catalyst towards experimentation, innovation, and new steps in their career. With a solo exhibition at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and at the ABN AMRO Art Space, along with a publication designed by Irma Boom and a monetary award of € 10,000. Furthermore, work by the laureate is acquired for the ABN AMRO Art Collection.

For more information on previous recipients of the ABN AMRO Art Award, see: https://art-heritageabnamro.nl/kunstcollectie/abn-amro-kunstprijs