Arie Van Praag

Arie Van Praag, MFIAP, Hon.ÖGPh.

In 1940, I was born in The Hague in the Netherlands. As an 18 year old student, I got interested in photography and since I have been using this means of expression in order to escape everyday stress.

In the begin of the 1960\\\'s, I started a research position at CERN, an international organisation involved in nuclear research, and thus moved to Geneva, Switzerland. Since that day, I have been an active member of the Photo-Club-CERN\\\". As president of that club I invited many famous photographers or young and talented photographers to exhibit their work at CERN.

In 1969 I was invited to become a member of the \\\"Société Genevoise de Photographie\\\", one of the oldest and largest
photoclubs of Europe. We regularly reached the finals of the Swiss Club Championship, organised by the Swiss Photographic Federation “Photo-Suisse” (previously ASPASAPV).

In 1980, the ASPA-SAPV offered me to join its central committee and take over the responsibility for the section color
photography. My final \\\"job\\\" in the ASPA-SAPV association has been the organisation of the FIAP Biennale in 1990, after which I handed over the work to younger people . I have participated very successfully in a large number of International exhibitions where I obtained over 2000 acceptances, over 30 medals of all kind, 80 catalog publications and including several honorary memberships.

Photo-Suisse Switzerland, FIAP, PSA in the USA and Australian Photographic Society asked for some of my photos
for there respective permanent collections.

Photos in Permanent collections:
Photo-Suisse ( former ASPA-SAPV Switzerland
FIAP Féderation International de l\\\\\\\'Art Photographique
PSA. Photographic Society of America, USA)
A.Ph.S, Australian Photographic Society, Austarlia

Distinctions
1972 – 1973 Golden-Eye Novi-Sad
1974 Distinction AFIAP ( Artiste FIAP )
1978 Distinction EFIAP ( Exelence FIAP )
1980 Honorable member of the Photo Club Buenos-Aires.
1982 Best reportage Slides, PSA, USA
1986 Photographer of the Year in Switzerland\\\'s ASPA-SAPV (best of all
categories)
Honorable member of the Ostereichische Gemeinschaft fu?r Photography
OGPh. (Hon OGPh)
1987 Photographer of the Year in Switzerland\\\'s ASPA-SAPV (best of all
categories)
Distinction MFIAP ( Master Photographer FIAP )
1988 Photographer of the Year in Switzerland\\\'s ASPA-SAPV (best of all
categories)
Golden Plate ASPA-SAPV for the totality of monochrome works
1989 Distinction MASPA ( Maitre ASPA-SAPV )
1990 Golden Plate ASPA-SAPV
1999 Gold Medal D\\\'Or, Linz, Austria
2002 Golden Plate Photo-Suisse for the totality of color pictures works