The Tilburg draftsman Michiel van de Pol will receive the prestigious Stripschaprijs this year. The comics, the umbrella organization of Dutch cartoonists, confirmed a message about this in Het Parool on Saturday. “I didn’t think it was in it anymore,” Van de Pol responds.
According to the jury, Van de Pol has built a strong and consistent oeuvre over the past thirty years with which he proves to keep his finger on the pulse about what the Dutch are concerned with in daily life. ” In the jury report, the worker’s work is praised as ‘self -willed, lively and absurd’.
Van de Pol says he is very happy with the price. “Two days ago the previous winner, Wilma van den Bosch, suddenly stood in front of my door with a bottle of champagne. That was a huge surprise,” says the draftsman.
In the past, Van de Pol’s books have been nominated for Album of the Year, but he always grabbed the prize. “At a certain point I thought that it was no longer there. So I hadn’t counted on this at all.”
Big names
Van de Pol’s cartoons have a strong autobiographical character. His comics have been published in countless newspapers and magazines in recent decades, such as the Brabants Dagblad, the AD, Het Parool, NRC.Next and Flair. The prize, which consists of a bronze statue and a certificate, will be awarded on March 22 in the Groningen forum.
Van de Pol describes his work as spontaneous and a little absurdist. “It must have humor, but it can also move. With a smile and a tear, so.”
The award is awarded annually and is considered the most important price of the Dutch comic world. By winning the prize, Van de Pol is in a row with other big names, including Jan Kruis, Martin Lodewijk, Mark Retera and Barbara Stok.
