Berend Strik’s unique synthesis of artistic disciplines is most often realized in his embroidered photographs. Known as a painter, sculptor, textile artist, and photographer, he has focused primarily on “stitching” since 1988 - his technique of layering needlework onto photographs. Strik’s work also includes media such as video, stained glass, architectonics installations, and collaboration with other artists. Though his subject matter has featured themes of same-sex marriage and pornography, he has also embraced works inspired by social themes. He worked collaboratively with photographer Anton Corbijn to create “Mandela Landscape” in 2003. Corbijn’s portrait of Nelson Mandela comprises the front, while Strik’s complicated stitches and wire work comprise the reverse of this double-sided artwork. Strik views his process as bringing his “own space” into existing photographic spaces. Strik “became the third dancer in the group” along with Mandela and Corbijn. Strik derived visual inspiration from his own landscape photographs of South Africa. Strik’s earlier works used “found photographs”, but he transitioned to his own images- adding stitching to complete the ‘imaginary realm of the photograph’ with ‘physical, tactile layers of meaning’. His work with threads, fabrics and photographs is a process which he views as ‘turning a document into an artwork image”. (Artist website) Read Less