Stichting Symbio has announced that Nullshima Studio has won the Symbio Art Prize 2025–2026. The artist duo Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy will present their interactive video installation My Little Tragedy in June 2026 during Oerol Festival on Terschelling, as part of the Visual Arts Programme.
The Symbio Art Prize has been awarded annually since 2021 to artists who make the imbalance between humans and nature visible and who contribute, in innovative ways, to raising awareness of ecological issues. The open call is an initiative of Stichting Symbio in collaboration with Oerol Festival.
About My Little Tragedy
My Little Tragedy is an interactive audiovisual installation inspired by the aftermath of the 2019 disaster involving the container ship MSC Zoë. The iconic My Little Pony toy, a symbol from our childhood, serves as the point of departure. Visitors become an active part of the work, allowing the experience to continue resonating beyond the moment they leave the installation.
The jury praises the work for the way it seamlessly connects with the Wadden landscape and local history. According to the jury, My Little Tragedy confronts audiences—both tenderly and powerfully—with the consequences of our consumerist behaviour. The jury also values the innovative discipline added to the Art Prize this year: audiovisual storytelling with a strong participatory component.
The social role of art
With the Symbio Art Prize, Stichting Symbio creates space for artists who make complex sustainability themes accessible and tangible. Previous editions have shown how art can disrupt, connect, and open up new perspectives on the relationship between humans and nature. My Little Tragedy continues this line by giving an everyday object an unexpected and urgent meaning.
Presentation at Oerol 2026
The winning work will be presented for ten days in June 2026 during Oerol Festival on Terschelling, as part of the visual arts programme.
The jury
The fourth edition of the Symbio Art Prize was assessed by a professional jury consisting of:
- Marin de Boer: Visual Arts Programmer, Oerol Festival
- Jan Pieter Ekker: Head of the Arts Desk, Het Parool
- Hans den Hartog Jager: art critic, writer and curator
- Yuki Kho: programmer and journalist
- Imke Ruigrok: independent curator and artistic director of RE_NATURE Festival
On behalf of Stichting Symbio, Hein de Graaf (visual artist) and Gemma Reuten (chair) were also members of the jury. Coordination was handled by Marijke Tiemersma.
More information about the work and its presentation at Oerol 2026 will follow.
