Mark Bern

Emerging Artist of the Week

This week, we are presenting digital artist Mark Bern in our Emerging artist of the week series in collaboration with art platform Unavailable. Through code and screens, the Swiss artist creates abstract and pixelated pictures of our reality. We had the chance to talk his working methods and discuss the way computers are taking over the artistic scene.

Wertical: How do you describe your art to somebody who has never seen one of your work?
Mark Bern: Where some see logic and numbers, I see the potential to create entire worlds from a blank computer screen. My work begins as a grid, from which I use a digital colour palette to build layers of abstract compositions. I mostly draw upon inspiration from the natural world, sensing the changes of light and colour as they come into contact with objects, landscapes and people. I capture the reflections, refractions and illusions which manipulate our normative construct of what something should look like.

WE: Where did you study?
MB: Back in the ’90s as a teenager, I used a computer to start my own internet company at the age of 19. I was surrounded by geeks, hackers and other innovators in the field of information technology. Back then computers were not really part of our lives and I was fascinated to create art with new electronic tools.

If you look into the world, you notice everything is a pixel. Now we don’t see it with great technology, like smartphones and LED screens, but to me, the simple pixel, the square at the end is still the basis of everything in the world.

So my study was the rise of the internet.

WE: What are you currently working on?
MB: I’m working with 3D printers and I try to explore a new frontier in 3D technology, art and space. I have some ideas to do installations, such as real-time print with several printers…creating a new dimension.

WE: What are your three artists to watch?
MB: Joo Jaebum, Chemical X and Nick Smith.

WE: What will your artist career look like in five years?
MB: It would be an honour for me to produce an individual and unique art piece for computer or internet entrepreneurs with a huge impact on life and society.

Mark Bern

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