Artist Statement/ Biography

Sam van Strien is a visual artist captivated by the relationship between architecture and human experience. In his research and studio-based practice, Sam employs various techniques, such as rubbings from buildings, laser-cut engravings of photographs, and drawings sourced from archival records. Through these strategies, he seeks to convey the tactile and visual boundaries that shape our encounters with architecture in our everyday urban experiences. His work serves as documents, records, and visual remnants of our built environment, questioning whether the essence of architecture can be truly captured through mediated images, or if it exists only as concrete matter, as a place we can touch and see.

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Sam van Strien, a Dutch-born artist based in London, holds an MFA in Painting & Drawing from Ohio State University (2017) and a BA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins (2014). His artwork has been showcased internationally, including at venues such as Trinity Buoy Wharf in London, UK; Keumsan Gallery in Seoul, South Korea; and Urban Arts Space in Columbus, OH, USA. Sam has completed several residencies, most recently at PADA in Lisbon, Portugal (2019) and USF Arts Centre in Bergen, Norway (2018). His artistic achievements have been recognised through prestigious accolades, including an Arts Council England Grant (2022), the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize (2021), and the Netherland-America Foundation Cultural Grant (2020).

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