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Harm van den Berg is an experimental and investigative artist who is driven by his fascination with the ingenious workings of complex systems in nature. Particularly captivated by the self-organizing principle known as emergence, he has adopted a distinctive method in his creative process. This method shapes his urge to create, drawing inspiration from the spontaneous growth and organic development observed in nature.
In pursuit of developing his own unique visual language, Van den Berg implements a set of self-imposed rules. In one facet of his body of work, centered around drawing, he meticulously sketches countless tiny graphic elements, allowing them to proliferate through an automated drawing process. Subtle variations in direction and shape ensure that the finely detailed structures spread erratically and unpredictably across the drawing surface. Paradoxically, it is precisely this apparent lack of control over the interplay of depth, form, and dynamics that defines the decisive outcome of his works.
In the other facet of his body of work, focusing on sound works, there is no depiction of an 'end result.' Instead, the audience becomes an integral part of the experiment through a form of 'live' participation. Driven by the same fascination for visually translating abstractions, Van den Berg crafts sound compositions using various samples and sound bites, inviting the viewer to engage in an immersive sound experience. In recent years, Van den Berg has heightened his experimentation with the element of chance. The ultimate challenge lies in relinquishing maximum control to algorithms and artificial intelligence without losing command. What endures, by definition, is the artistic authorship, ensuring that the audience attains profound insights and elusive experiences on multiple sensory levels.
Harm van den Berg was born in 1970 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He is a multidisciplinary artist who investigates the concepts of emergence, complexity, and self-organization in his work. Van den Berg received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam in 1996. He has performed at various venues, including The Paviljoens museum in Almere, Netherlands, Zoo Gallery in Nantes, France, Galeria Klovicevi in Zagreb, Croatia, and the Crossing Border Festival in Amsterdam.
His work has been exhibited at numerous galleries and institutions, including Museum Belvedere, Kunstvereniging Diepenheim, Goethe Institute Amsterdam, Netherlands Media Art Institute, W139, Stroom HCBK, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, De Voorkamer in Lier, Belgium, and AC Institute in New York City. Van den Berg has received grants from the Mondrian Fund and Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, which have allowed him to continue his research and artistic practice. He currently lives and works in Amsterdam.
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Harm van den Berg © 2024