AMSTERDAM – Curaçao-born artist Kevin Osepa has been named the winner of the Prix de Rome Visual Arts 2025, one of the most prestigious art awards in the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. His new installation, Lusgarda, will be on display at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam from November 29, 2025 through March 15, 2026.
In Lusgarda, Osepa draws inspiration from the Curaçaoan mourning ritual Ocho Dia. The installation explores not only personal loss, but also collective mourning, focusing on the gradual disappearance of knowledge, rituals, and traditions passed down through generations. Through this approach, Osepa connects individual memory with broader cultural and historical processes rooted in Caribbean experience.
The jury praised Osepa’s layered and complex body of work, highlighting his distinctive visual language and conceptual depth. According to the jury, his practice consistently bridges personal narratives with wider social and cultural themes.
The Prix de Rome is awarded every two years by the Mondriaan Fund and is regarded as a major incentive prize for visual artists within the Kingdom. The award includes a cash prize of €60,000 as well as a dedicated publication.
The exhibition Lusgarda runs from November 29, 2025 until March 15, 2026, offering international audiences an opportunity to engage with Osepa’s exploration of memory, loss, and cultural continuity.