Vincent Mentzel
Encyclopedia
Vincent Mentzel was born on 28 September 1945 in Hoogkarspel
in the Netherlands
and is a Dutch
photographer, who was knighted by Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands
in 2007 for his contributions to photography
. He lives and works in Rotterdam
, is married and has a daughter.
and is now one of the best-known Dutch photojournalists. As staff photographer he has played a crucial role in shaping the paper’s image. He first distinguished himself as a photographer of important Dutch political personalities and then took on important foreign assignments. He also served as photo editor of M Magazine, NRC's monthly glossy Sunday magazine.
Mentzel studied at the Rotterdam Art Academy (Rotterdam kunstacademie), now called the Willem de Kooning Academy of Fine Arts. Afterward he worked in the late 1960s as an assistant to the distinguished Amsterdam theatre photographer Maria Austria. From her he learned darkroom processing and printing techniques.
Mentzel then worked as a freelance photojournalist for national newspapers and magazines. His early photographs are characterized by their narrow perspective, created by heavily printed skies and surroundings. His later work is lighter and more balanced. His use of a wide-angle lens gave his photos an unusual and striking perspective.
NRC Handelsblad, the leading Dutch daily, quickly hired him. He became widely known for his photographs of politicians and statesmen. Mentzel established personal relationships with eminent politicians in the Dutch parliament and photographed them candidly in their private moments. His approach attracted attention and changed the character of political photography in the Netherlands.
By the 1970s Mentzel had become known as the photographer of the powerful. His photos captured ministers, heads of state, and the Dutch royal family at home and abroad, as well as dictators. His photo of the Dutch prime minister Joop Den Uyl won the 1973 “Best Dutch Press Photo” award from the Amsterdam-based World Press Photo
Foundation. However, Mentzel curtailed his work as a political photographer because he felt his friendships with politicians interfered with his journalistic independence.
Even as he expanded his professional horizons, NRC Handelsblad
gave Mentzel assignments of wider scope, dispatching him to cover not only extraordinary events and famous names but also ordinary people and places around the world. His first trip to China
was during the Cultural Revolution
in 1973. He proved skilled at capturing peasant life in China and Tibet
, where he was one of the first to be allowed to enter. He also photographed street scenes in Tokyo
, ordinary people in the southern United States
, and kings and prime ministers.
Among the stories he covered were the Nieuwmarkt
riots in Amsterdam over the building of the new metro system, the sectarian troubles in Northern Ireland, the Tiananmen Square
student uprising, and war in Lebanon
. These assignments firmly established his stature as a broadly talented photojournalist.
And that is how Mentzel views himself and his calling: "I'm not an artist," he insists, despite the fact that many view his work as representative of true photographic art. "A newspaper is not an art magazine, or a picture book to be kept and treasured. It's something people look at, read, and then throw away. They shouldn't have to puzzle over what a newspaper photo is about. It's fine for a newspaper photo to be striking or beautiful, but its basic job, its reason for being, is to convey information. That's what photojournalism is about."
Foundation for more than two decades, and a board member of the Rotterdam Art Foundation (Rotterdamse Kunststichting) for a number of years. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the W. Eugene Smith
Memorial Fund (New York) and was a board member of the Anna Cornelis foundation, which makes grant to aid photographers on important projects from 1996 to 2006. Since 2000 he has been a board member of the Amsterdam Photography Museum (Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam FOAM), which he helped to found.
Mentzel's photographs have been published in international newspapers and magazines such as Newsweek
, Time, Life, and The New York Times. His photographs are included in many museum and private collections around the world. Mentzel's pictures also illustrate many textbooks.
For his work, he has been honored many times with the Silver Camera award (Zilveren Camera) of the Dutch Photojournalists Association (Nederlandse Vereniging of Fotojournalisten (NVF)) and by the World Press Photo Foundation.
Hoogkarspel
Hoogkarspel is a village in the municipality Drechterland, located in the north west of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia....
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
photographer, who was knighted by Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 2007 for his contributions to photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
. He lives and works in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, is married and has a daughter.
Background
Since the early 1970s, Vincent Mentzel has been a staff photographer for the major Dutch newspaper NRC HandelsbladNRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad, often abbreviated to NRC, is a daily evening newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. The newspaper was created on October 1, 1970, from merger of the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and Algemeen Handelsblad . In 2006 a morning newspaper, nrc•next, was launched...
and is now one of the best-known Dutch photojournalists. As staff photographer he has played a crucial role in shaping the paper’s image. He first distinguished himself as a photographer of important Dutch political personalities and then took on important foreign assignments. He also served as photo editor of M Magazine, NRC's monthly glossy Sunday magazine.
Photojournalism career
Mentzel then worked as a freelance photojournalist for national newspapers and magazines. His early photographs are characterized by their narrow perspective, created by heavily printed skies and surroundings. His later work is lighter and more balanced. His use of a wide-angle lens gave his photos an unusual and striking perspective.
NRC Handelsblad, the leading Dutch daily, quickly hired him. He became widely known for his photographs of politicians and statesmen. Mentzel established personal relationships with eminent politicians in the Dutch parliament and photographed them candidly in their private moments. His approach attracted attention and changed the character of political photography in the Netherlands.
By the 1970s Mentzel had become known as the photographer of the powerful. His photos captured ministers, heads of state, and the Dutch royal family at home and abroad, as well as dictators. His photo of the Dutch prime minister Joop Den Uyl won the 1973 “Best Dutch Press Photo” award from the Amsterdam-based World Press Photo
World Press Photo
World Press Photo is an independent, non-profit organization based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 1955 the organization is known for holding the world's largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest....
Foundation. However, Mentzel curtailed his work as a political photographer because he felt his friendships with politicians interfered with his journalistic independence.
Even as he expanded his professional horizons, NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad, often abbreviated to NRC, is a daily evening newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. The newspaper was created on October 1, 1970, from merger of the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and Algemeen Handelsblad . In 2006 a morning newspaper, nrc•next, was launched...
gave Mentzel assignments of wider scope, dispatching him to cover not only extraordinary events and famous names but also ordinary people and places around the world. His first trip to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
was during the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
in 1973. He proved skilled at capturing peasant life in China and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, where he was one of the first to be allowed to enter. He also photographed street scenes in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, ordinary people in the southern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and kings and prime ministers.
Among the stories he covered were the Nieuwmarkt
Nieuwmarkt
Nieuwmarkt is a square in the centre of the Dutch capital Amsterdam. The surrounding area is known as the Nieuwmarktbuurt ....
riots in Amsterdam over the building of the new metro system, the sectarian troubles in Northern Ireland, the Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world...
student uprising, and war in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. These assignments firmly established his stature as a broadly talented photojournalist.
And that is how Mentzel views himself and his calling: "I'm not an artist," he insists, despite the fact that many view his work as representative of true photographic art. "A newspaper is not an art magazine, or a picture book to be kept and treasured. It's something people look at, read, and then throw away. They shouldn't have to puzzle over what a newspaper photo is about. It's fine for a newspaper photo to be striking or beautiful, but its basic job, its reason for being, is to convey information. That's what photojournalism is about."
Later work
Vincent Mentzel has consistently shared his knowledge, skills, and support through professional and educational organizations in the field. He serves as a jury member on many international photo contests. He has been a member of the executive board of the World Press PhotoWorld Press Photo
World Press Photo is an independent, non-profit organization based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 1955 the organization is known for holding the world's largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest....
Foundation for more than two decades, and a board member of the Rotterdam Art Foundation (Rotterdamse Kunststichting) for a number of years. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the W. Eugene Smith
W. Eugene Smith
William Eugene Smith was an American photojournalist known for his refusal to compromise professional standards and his brutally vivid World War II photographs.- Life and work :...
Memorial Fund (New York) and was a board member of the Anna Cornelis foundation, which makes grant to aid photographers on important projects from 1996 to 2006. Since 2000 he has been a board member of the Amsterdam Photography Museum (Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam FOAM), which he helped to found.
Mentzel's photographs have been published in international newspapers and magazines such as Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, Time, Life, and The New York Times. His photographs are included in many museum and private collections around the world. Mentzel's pictures also illustrate many textbooks.
For his work, he has been honored many times with the Silver Camera award (Zilveren Camera) of the Dutch Photojournalists Association (Nederlandse Vereniging of Fotojournalisten (NVF)) and by the World Press Photo Foundation.
Selected bibliography
- Suriname (1975) text by J.F. van den Broek)
- China (Rotterdamse Kunststichting) (text by Peter Schumacher) (1978)
- De paus van Polen: Reis van een politieke pelgrim (The Pope from Poland: Tbe Visit of a Political Pilgrim ) (1983) (text by H. van Rhijn)
- Foto Vincent Mentzel (1984) (text by Friso Endt)
- Stadslicht (Citylights) (1984) (poems by Jules Deelder)
- Alexander (1985) (profile of Prince Willem Alexander at his 18th birthday) (text by Renate Rubinstein)
- Roomse Heisa (1985) (Roman Trouble; an account of Pope John Paul II's visit to The Netherlands )(text by Gerard Reve)
- Vietnam bestaat nog (1988) (Vietnam Still Lives) (text by A. Claassen)
- Hemelse vrede, De lente van Peking (1989) (Heavenly Peace, The Peking Spring)
- Vakwerk (1992) (Framed Creativity) (text by Sylvia Tóth)
- Het tijdperk Lubbers 1982–1994 (1994) (The era of Ruud Lubbers, prime minister of The Netherlands (text by M. Kranenburg )
- Slager Crolus koopt een oude viool (The butcher Crolus buys an old violin: photos of leading conductors, a special limited edition for JBR management consultants in The Netherlands) (1997) (text by Gerard Reve)
- Onderweg, In de auto met bekende ondernemers (1999) (On the road with Dutch entrepreneurs) (text by J. Koelewijn)
- Een huis dat zingt (2005) (A House That Sings, profile of Edward JamesEdward JamesEdward William Frank James was a British poet known for his patronage of the surrealist art movement.-Early life and marriage:...
, patron of Salvador DaliSalvador DalíSalvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
and Rene MagritteRené MagritteRené François Ghislain Magritte[p] was a Belgian surrealist artist. He became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images...
(text by Gerrit KomrijGerrit KomrijGerrit Jan Komrij is a Dutch poet, novelist, translator, critic, polemic journalist and playwright. From 2000 to 2004 he was the Dutch Dichter des Vaderlands .-Biography:...
, Rob Bartlema & Arjen Ribbens) - De mens achter de luchthaven (2006) (The People Behind the Airport; a photo essay on the 50th anniversary of Rotterdam airport) (text by Henk HoflandHenk HoflandHendrik Johannes Adrianus Hofland is a Dutch journalist, commentator, essayist and columnist. H.J.A. Hofland, as he is also commonly know, is often referred to as the éminence grise of Dutch journalism. In 1999 he was named Dutch "Journalist of the century" in a nationwide poll among his peers...
)
Special Commissions and Assignments
- Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix specially photographed and used on the Dutch "permanent stamp" since 1980
- Photograph of the Noordeinde royal palace for use on the Dutch stamp, with designer Kees Nieuwenhuijzen
- Photograph of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix for use on the 50-guilder coin and also all Dutch coins
- Annual reports for major Dutch companies and organizations, including KLM, RobecoRobecoRobeco is a Dutch asset management firm founded in 1929 as the Rotterdamsch Beleggings Consortium . By year end 2009, the company had over € 130 billion of assets under management. It was acquired in 2001 by the Rabobank Groep.Robeco offers assets management services to both institutional and...
, Goudse Vezekeringen insurance company, ABN bank, NCM re-insurance company, and the Prince Claus chair (scholarship)
Awards
- World Press PhotoWorld Press PhotoWorld Press Photo is an independent, non-profit organization based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 1955 the organization is known for holding the world's largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest....
, Beste Nederlandse Persfoto (1973) (Best Dutch Press Photo) - Pictures of the Year, honorable mention, University of Missouri, USA (1974)
- De Zilveren Camera, Wissel Trofee (1975) Silver Camera Award,first prize
- World Press PhotoWorld Press PhotoWorld Press Photo is an independent, non-profit organization based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 1955 the organization is known for holding the world's largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest....
, first prize in News Features (1978) - De Zilveren Camera, Wissel Trofee (1980) Silver Camera Award, first prize
- World Press PhotoWorld Press PhotoWorld Press Photo is an independent, non-profit organization based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 1955 the organization is known for holding the world's largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest....
, honorable mention, "People In the News" (1982) - International Organisation of Journalists, Master of Pressphotography (1983)
- Impact (Dutch) portrait prize (2006)
- De Grote Paul (2007) The "Great Paul" Award based on nominations by leading Dutch photographers. It is named after the famous Dutch photographer Paul Huf.
- Ridder in de Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw (2007) Knight in the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands by Queen Beatrix for services to photography.
Selected Museum and Gallery Exhibitions
- Dordrecht, The Netherlands. One-man show, Dordrecht Museum (1973)
- Columbia, USA. "Pictures of the year." Group exhibition at the University of Missouri School of Journalism (1974)
- Amsterdam. One-man show, Fotogalerie FIOLET (1974)
- Den Haag (The Hague), The Netherlands. One-man show, "Political Photography" in the Parliament building (Second Chamber of the House) and in several Ministries (1976)
- Rotterdam, The Netherlands. One-man show on China, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen (1978)
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Group show, Stedelijk Museum (1978)
- Rotterdam, The Netherlands. "China" group show, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen. (1984)
- Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Canon photography gallery (1987)
- Beijing, China. World Press Photo, "Holland Special" (1988)
- Budapest, Hungary. Group show , Castle Museum (1989)
- Rotterdam, The Netherlands. One-man show, Galerie Delta (1994)
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands. One-man show, De Rode Hoed, performance center (1995)
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The Royal Group Show: The Queen's Selection of Art Stedelijk Museum (1998)
- Breda, The Netherlands. "China," One-man show, Museum de Beyerd (1998)
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands. One-man show on China, Sino House (1998)
- Naarden, The Netherlands. Group show, "99 years of Dutch photography," Fotofestival-Naarden (1999)
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands. De Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church, built 1414). Group show, "Jongens van Jan de Witt" (Photos of leading Dutch statesmen) (2001)
- Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Photos of the life of the surrealist poet and self-styled architect and arts patron Edward JamesEdward JamesEdward William Frank James was a British poet known for his patronage of the surrealist art movement.-Early life and marriage:...
, living in the house he designed and built in the jungle of Xilitla, Mexico; he was the patron of Salvador DaliSalvador DalíSalvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
& Rene MagritteRené MagritteRené François Ghislain Magritte[p] was a Belgian surrealist artist. He became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images...
. Museum Boijmans van Beuningen (2005) - Rotterdam, The Netherlands."The people behind the airport," celebrating 50 years of Rotterdam Airport. Kunsthal (Art Hall) (2006)
- Kats, The Netherlands. Open-air exhibition of large-scale photos of Mongolia, at De Zeeuwse Rozentuin" with painter/sculptor Klaas Gubbels, 2007)
- Naarden, The Netherlands. One-man show at the award ceremony of the "De Grote Paul" (Great Paul) prize honoring the famous photographer Paul Huf (2007)
- The Hague, Scheveningen, The Netherlands. One-man show, "Pictures for the Newspaper" Museum Beelden aan Zee (2009)
External links
- Vincent Mentzel's site
- "Over Vincent Mentzel", nrc.nl
- Fotoblog, nrc.nl