Jurriën van Berkum

"Bad art is more tragically beautiful than good art because it documents human failure."

My name is Jurriën van Berkum and I am a Dutch artist and designer living and working in Madrid, Spain.

I was born in 1976 in the city of Den Bosch, in the south of The Netherlands, a city known for its vibrant culture, artistic spirit, and being the birthplace of Jheronimus Bosch. From a young age I was fascinated by music, art, and human relationships — with each other and with themselves — in all their glory and intensity. Which is still my main source of inspiration.

When I paint, I use acrylic paint and markers and only one brush. Water does not get changed until it starts to smell. I love how colors are affected by each other, just like with people.

After I finished a work, I'm very connected to it, as if it were my best friend. Once that feeling fades, that's when I start a new work. Just like in real life, where sometimes relationships between people fade or become intense and short or keep you up all night.

I can paint anywhere, at home, a bar, the beach, a plane or on the metro of Madrid. Mistakes or accidents are what make my dreamworlds come alive. If I knew exactly what my painting was going to be like, I would not have to make it.