Chance meetings determined where she would sleep. Depoorter spent the night with random families that she photographed, mostly in their living rooms. She has recorded the intimacy of these Russian families in an arresting fashion and with a keen eye for atmosphere, conditions and surroundings.
intimate moments
Not speaking a word of Russian, Depoorter let people know she was looking for a place to spend the night by jotting a few Russian sentences on a scrap of paper. She rarely stayed more than one night in the same place and often slept on the sofa, from where she was absorbed and welcomed into the heart of the family. Since Depoorter's visits were only brief, the people she met were very open with her and she was able to share some intimate moments of everyday life in Russia, from a young boy smoking in a hallway with peeling wallpaper to a trip to the sauna, and from little girls proudly doing their gymnastics in a room to eating and drinking with the family at their dinner table.
Bieke Depoorter
Bieke Depoorter (1986) lives and works in Ghent. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Arts in Ghent with a Masters degree in visual arts and photography. Ou Menya was her graduation project and it has won her various prizes, including the HP Magnum Expression Award in 2009. Depoorter is currently working on a new project entitled ‘I am about to call it a day', in which she will spend several months travelling through the United States of America using the same approach as she did in Russia. Depoorter has been a member of the Tendance Floue Collective in Paris since January 2011.
Publication
Bieke Depoorter has published a book entitled ‘Ou Menya' (Lannoo Publishing Group). (ISBN 9789020992137, € 34,99, hard cover, 128 p.).
About your visit
Frequently Asked Questions
Skip listThe Kunsthal is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 17:00 hrs. The Kunsthal Café opens half an hour earlier, so you can visit from 9:30 hrs until half an hour after closing time. Check the current opening hours.
Yes, you need to book a ticket with a start time in advance. This also applies if you have a Museum card, Rotterdam pass, or VriendenLoterij VIP Card. This way, you are guaranteed admission and we can ensure that your visit is as pleasant as possible. Book your start time.
Yes, with an online ticket, you can visit all the exhibitions that are on display on the date of your visit. You can also stay as long as you like. You are welcome at the Kunsthal from your designated start time until closing time. Book your start time.
In de Kunsthal Rotterdam zijn altijd meerdere wisselende en contrastrijke tentoonstellingen tegelijk te zien. Een volledig overzicht van alle actuele tentoonstellingen vind je op de tentoonstellingspagina.