Kevin Osepa starts from his own identity and visualizes what an Afro-Caribbean identity means in a postcolonial world. With film and photography he creates magical-realistic stories about Afro-spirituality, sexuality, masculinity and family. In the refined, detailed pencil drawings of Koes Staassen the male nude and queer sexuality are central. His drawings, constructed as still lifes, show an intimate game full of sensual desire and surrender that he plays with friends.
On Thursday 1 July, the morning before the Dolf Henkes Award Ceremony, the two nominated artists were guests at Operator Radio in their new studio Time is the New Space and told Thomas Fonville about where they come from and the course of their artistic practice.
Kevin Osepa, Koes Staassen, Jay Tan and Geo Wyeth are the nominees for the Dolf Henkes Prize 2021, a biennial prize awarded to an iconic Rotterdam artist. In the afternoon, the prize was awarded to Geo Wyeth by Nathanja van Dijk. The installations of all four artists can be seen at TENT until 22 August 2021.
