Current Exhibition

Our 10th Art competition “Black & White” started in December 2025 and concluded on January 15, 2026. Art Room Gallery received entries from many countries around the world: USA, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Switzerland, Ireland, France, Australia, Germany, Italy, Norway, France, Hungary and Netherlands.. The Black & White theme in this competition included a diversity in types, styles and mediums (acrylic on canvas, oil, charcoal, graphite, scratchboard, digital art, photography, pen, stainless steel). The following evaluation criteria has been used for judging the artwork: creativity, interpretation of the theme, originality and quality of art, overall design, demonstration of artistic ability, and usage of medium. Jury decided to select 54 artworks for inclusion in the exhibition. Aside from First, Second, and Third place Jury also presented Merit awards and Honorable Mention awards.

Thank you, and enjoy the exhibition!

First place

Statement:

Susanne Middelberg is a German photographer known for her powerful and emotionally rich portraits, which explore themes of vulnerability and human complexity. After initially studying modern dance at the Higher School for Arts in Arnhem, she transitioned into photography, graduating in 1998 from the Academy for Visual Arts. Middelberg has since established a career as a freelance photographer, specializing in portrait and theater-dance photography. Her work often captures the dualities within people—strength and fragility—and she believes that showing vulnerability in her subjects fosters connection and understanding. Middelberg's photographic style is described as "intense, honest, and picturesque," and she is particularly inspired by the human condition. Her approach focuses on revealing the layers of personality in her subjects, aiming to touch viewers through this emotional depth. She has received numerous awards for her work, including prizes from The Canon Master, the Monochrome Awards and the Px3 Prix de la Photographie Paris. In addition to her portraits, Middelberg has been commissioned for various projects, including work for theater posters. She has exhibited her work in galleries across the Netherlands and internationally, including in New York and Boston. Her projects have earned her a solid reputation in the photography world, winning accolades like the MUSE Photography Awards for her "Daylight" series, where she emphasized natural light and raw emotion to portray her subjects. Middelberg cites Jan Saudek, Stephan Vanfleteren, and Richard Learoyd as major influences on her work. Her philosophy as a photographer is to remain authentic and continuously learn from others.

Statement:

The beauty of the world around me has attracted me since childhood, I wanted to express my vision on paper, to convey through artistic means the sensations of contact with it. A trace of a black line on a white sheet, a pencil gives me the opportunity to discover the boundlessness of the world, the beauty of every corner of the earth. Black and white are two colors which I have chosen for myself. It is with their help, in the endless alternation of strokes, lines, spots, that I try to convey all the beauty of the world around me.”

Statement:

After the end of a “long, self-imposed hiatus” I found my love of creating artwork rekindled after taking a drawing workshop in 2013. My initial artworks were comprised of graphite and charcoal but after picking up a scratchboard in 2016, where the artist scratches through a black inked surface to reveal a white layer underneath, essentially “subtractive drawing,” I was hooked. Although often challenging and relatively unforgiving, scratchboard users are rewarded with a medium that allows for high levels of detail and wonderfully textural effects such as fur and feathers, which partners perfectly with creating wildlife images. I feel there is little else that can compare to the natural, honest energy given off by an animal, be it a family pet or one never meant to be touched by human hands. If we are lucky enough to be included as part of their world, whether for years or just a few moments, we are that much richer for the experience. When my art is strong enough to create a connection and evokes an emotion from the viewer, be it one of curiosity, admiration, or just simple pleasure, then I know I have done well and that is the biggest compliment I can receive.