Work by Kevin Osepa finds a home at HKU Oudenoord

13 oktober 2022

In Grounding, three photographers lead you to the places that have defined their connection to the city of Utrecht. The initiative by FOTODOK was ceremoniously opened at HKU, with HKU alumnus Kevin Osepa as the first to present his work.

Grounding. In other words: feeling at home somewhere. What does that take? How can you feel connected to a specific place? Photographers Giya Makondo-Wills, Hanna Hrabarska and Kevin Osepa display their works at the places in Utrecht that were decisive for their grounding in Utrecht. By marking the locations in Google Maps, the artists created an interplay of text, imagery and audio.

HKU alumnus Kevin Osepa (1994) came to prominence in recent years as filmmaker. He was born on Curaçao and moved to Utrecht in 2012 to study at HKU. Recently he won the famous Dutch film award ‘Gouden Kalf’ for Best Short Movie with La Ultima Ascensión. However, he graduated in Photography, with his project 'Mester Blousé'.

Since his graduation, Osepa prefers the use of moving images to give an ever deeper meaning to his search for identity and spirituality, he explained at the opening. The image that he chose for the side wall of HKU Oudenoord is inspired on ‘Kloof’ (‘Chasm’, 2020), about a road on Curaçao that is shrouded in mysteries. With the presentation of this image on the high wall of the HKU building, Osepa has come round full circle: ‘Here at Oudenoord is where it all started for me ten years ago. The place where I began as a student, and where I am teaching now.’ Constantly searching for a home and never having it; that’s how he described his works in an earlier interview with HKU. The theme of ‘grounding’ therefore perfectly fits his artistry.

The exhibition at Oudenoord was opened by HKU’s chair of the Executive Board, Heleen Jumelet, and FOTODOK organiser Femke Rotteveel. Jumelet emphasised the meaning of the work for the city of Utrecht and the kind of place that HKU wants to offer to all students: a home ground where they can both shape their education and themselves. Step by step.

Work by Kevin Osepa finds a home at HKU Oudenoord

Grounding is part of the programme of the Utrecht 900 city anniversary celebration.