The Hague has a new city artist: artist Kexin Hao will capture the city with her drawings in 2025. Soon, alderman Saskia Bruines (Culture) will officially receive the first city drawing by her hand.
Unique style
Kexin Hao was chosen because of her distinctive, colourful drawing style and her way of involving the public in her work. Her work is interdisciplinary, research-oriented and participatory. She likes to explore the boundaries between art and ‘non-art’ and moves effortlessly between disciplines such as design, theatre, gaming and club culture, as well as cooking, fitness and wellness. Kexin Hao uses different media such as drawing, prints, choreography and music in her work.
‘As an urban artist, I want to illustrate city life from the perspective of local animals. In the first drawing, I will introduce the first character: the seagull. As this seagull flies over the city, more episodes will follow and stories about food, people, environment, the past and present of the city of The Hague will slowly unfold.’ said Kexin Hao.
Workshops and exhibitions
Throughout her city drawing career, Kexin Hao organises workshops in which young participants create mascots and drawings that depict city life in an imaginative way. Themes such as city dwellers (human and animal), food, nature, sea and history play an important role in these. She then incorporates the creations from the workshops into her city drawings. Hao also responds to current events, giving her work a contemporary view of The Hague.
Every month, Den Haag Centraal publishes one of her drawings. Her work is also exhibited in Nest, public libraries throughout the city and in the Gallery of the Hague Municipal Archives (tram tunnel, Spui stop). The entire series of drawings will be included in the Gemeentearchief’s collection and thus remain permanently accessible.
Background Kexin Hao
Kexin Hao (1993, Beijing, China) studied Graphic Design at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK), where she graduated cum laude in 2021. She lives and works in The Hague.
About the initiative
Originating from a motion in The Hague City Council, the city artist initiative is a collaboration between the municipality of The Hague, the Hague Library, the Hague Municipal Archives and art space Nest. All drawings will be kept in the Hague Municipal Archives, creating an artistic archive of the city.
Featured Image: The first drawing by new City Artist Kexin Hao: ‘We have to live with the city animals after all’.
Photo above:: The Hague’s new City Artist Kexin Hao.