Utrecht made a bit more beautiful with mural paintings by HKU students

05 August 2022

To celebrate the 900th anniversary of Utrecht, the local government has decided to add some fresh colours to the walls in five city districts. Two of the five art productions of the project City Canvas are created by HKU alumni Aafke Bouman and Samira Charroud, both graduates of HKU Illustration.

Unknown residents

Charroud started her mural on 1 August in Kanaleneiland district. She used lots of colours, which she thought would be the most fitting addition to this area. She also kept the design relatively simple, to make it easily recognizable even from a distance. ‘Hopefully the colours will stand out in strong contrast to the high-rise buildings surrounding the art.’

The mural also depicts two bats. ‘It’s a wink and an ode to the many bats living in this flat. They are the unknown and often overlooked residents of this area.’

Night tour

The works of Bouman are already finished and can now be admired on Molenstraat, intersecting the Plompetorengracht. Its title, Nachttocht (i.e., night tour), is meant as an ode to the night. ‘It is a story about wandering through the city nights, coming upon the mysterious little lanes and walk to wherever coincidence takes you. A magical surrealistic image of empty streets and squares; a sight that many people can still remember from the lockdowns. And it also contains the message what we can always find our way back towards better days.