The winners of the HKU Awards 2025 are:
Anne Cappendijk – Mourning Traffic (HKU Media - Illustration)
Jury report: The father of Anne Cappendijk passes away suddenly while on holiday in France. The proverbial morning rush hour in which she then ended up, forms the theme of her graduation project Mourning Traffic. In an art installation made of traffic signs, she takes the observer through the stages of grief: the moment the news arrives, the organisation of the funeral, the period afterwards, and the lasting memories. The loss and the pain are immense – so immense that people close to her can hardly imagine it. With this work, Anne seeks to make the impact of losing a loved one palpable.
The jury was struck by the seemingly simple form which, upon further reflection, revealed ever greater depths. Its immediate emotional impact and craftsmanship made a profound impression. “Anne’s illustrative language connects personal experience with universal themes. Her installation symbolises the complexity of grief while also demonstrating how art can create room for that which would otherwise remain unsaid,” the jury noted.
Uliana Gromyko – ERROR: CONNECTION LOST (HKU Media - Graphic Design)
Jury report: Uliana Gromyko, born in Ukraine, presents, in ERROR: CONNECTION LOST, a combination of technical innovation and profound personal depth. Using a self-developed tool for ASCII animation (a deliberate choice as protest to conventional software) she constructs a poetic and gripping tale about growing up in a context of poverty, migration, and political instability.
Uliana’s work was repeatedly cited by the jury as one of the most powerful among the contenders: technically original, thematically urgent, and visually striking. “The installation is not a linear story, but a subtle confrontation between constraint and expression, past and present. Her combination of code, storytelling, and activist intent demonstrates a future-oriented attitude that is much needed in the graphic field. Uliana’s work is not just a protest against the established software monopolies, but also an ode to personal autonomy and creative freedom. Through this, she sets a new standard for both maker and medium.,” the jury stated.
Iyanla Etnel – Kari Den Fowru Na Oso (HKU Media - Photography)
Jury report: Kari Den Fowru Na Oso (Calling the Birds Home) is a poetic, experimental film about memory, bodily autonomy, and the tacit traces of colonial exploitation. An exploration of how the black female body has been perceived, hurt, and carried throughout time – and how it can return to itself again. The film is a trilogy in which different worlds coexist simultaneously, emphasising that there never is one single truth, but multiple perspectives that exist side by side.
The jury wrote: “‘Iyanla’s work is highly personal, yet resonates universally. Her style is poetic, precise and respectful. This work entices to slow down, to see with different eyes, and manages to deeply touch the audience without imposing. The film shows that the body can be not only a bearer of trauma, but also a source of healing. This makes the work as vulnerable as it is powerful – and socially indispensable.”
Sohna Sumbunu – CODESWITCH (HKU Media - Film)
Jury report: In her documentary CODESWITCH, Sohna Sumbunu investigates her own bicultural identity in relation to two friends who each deal with their colour in completely different ways. What begins as a personal search, turns into an intimate reflection on the many ways of being black in the Netherlands.
The jury praised the work for the honest approach and its warm tone. It tells a story that appeal to many – intimately and collectively. The documentary is layered, honest and hopeful. Sohna knows how to share her doubts with a soft force, thereby opening the space for dialogue.
‘Sharp observations and a warm direction allow Sohna to show how rich, complex and valuable it is to move in between different worlds. The film is not just a celebration of diversity; it makes it tangible and visible, spurring towards both empathy and connection,’ according to the jury. These qualities turn the film CODESWITCH into a work that by definition fits with the HKU Utrecht City Prize: a story that contributes to a debate about identity and inclusion, applying art as a means for connection and transformation.
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