Sam van Strien
Sam van Strien is an artist, curator and researcher of architecture and the built environment. His work investigates how and where we engage with architecture, prompting a deeper examination of our encounters with urban landscapes. Through both direct and mediated experiences, Sam's artworks offer unique perspectives on corporate architecture through techniques ranging from architectural rubbings to the incorporation of archival photographs and texts sourced from architects' archives. His artworks have been showcased internationally, including venues such as Trinity Buoy Wharf in London, UK; Keumsan Gallery in Seoul, South Korea; and Urban Arts Space in Columbus, OH, USA. Furthermore, his residencies at prestigious institutions like the NARS Foundation in Brooklyn, New York and USF Arts Centre in Bergen, Norway, enrich his research-driven practice, creating work that blurs the binary between the archival and the personal, between history and memory.
Sam van Strien, 2023. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
Sam van Strien, born in Delft, the Netherlands, to a Dutch father and an English mother, spent much of his childhood in a small town near Coventry. Sam's passion for art ignited during his childhood, where he bonded with his grandmother through drawing and painting together. Encouraged by his upbringing, he enrolled in after-school drawing and sculpture classes at Warwick University, under the tutelage of a skilled Russian artist trained in Soviet Realism.
At 18, Sam relocated to London to pursue his Fine Art Foundation at Byam Shaw School of Art. He subsequently earned his BA in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins, including a transformative six-month Erasmus exchange at the National Academy of Arts in Oslo, Norway. Following this, he furthered his education by undertaking a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing at Ohio State University in the United States. The educational journey, particularly at Ohio State University, played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of his art practice. Courses at the Knowlton School of Architecture not only deepened his engagement with architectural history and theory but also kindled a profound interest in archives and research, becoming integral elements of his artistic expression.
Sam van Strien, A Trace Unfulfilled, 2017. Gesso, graphite, duralar, wire and tensioners, 91 x 854 cm. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
Sam is interested in the relationship between architecture, finance, and capitalism, and how these forces shape our built environments. He is particularly drawn to corporate architecture, especially from the mid-20th century, and its connection with movements in modern art and architecture, such as the work of Bauhaus architects Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius. Sam’s exploration extends to their subsequent buildings in the US following the closure of the Bauhaus by the Nazis and their emigration to the US. His work is informed by urban exploration and city walking, discovering the histories of cities to understand their development through architecture.
He finds inspiration in artists like Sarah Oppenheimer, Do Ho Suh, Hugh Ferriss, and Pablo Bronstein, among others. These artists explore the connection between individuals and their architectural surroundings. For instance, Hugh Ferriss' speculative architectural drawings from the early 20th century, Sarah Oppenheimer's site-specific sculptural pieces responding to the architecture of gallery spaces and Do Ho Suh's charcoal rubbings and fabric installations investigating notions of home and identity deeply influence his artistic vision. Additionally, Sam is intrigued by the working drawings of architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, and Carlos Diniz, which offer a unique insight into the creative process behind architecture.
Sam van Strien, Model as Prototype, 2017. Laser etched photographic engraving on paper, 71 x 58 cm. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
Sam contemplates architecture through various lenses: as a physical built structure, as it exists in archives or history, and as it is described in literature. In many ways, this perspective aligns with the concept of simulacrum by Jean Baudrillard – not merely as a copy of reality, but as an entity.
His work evolves from these conceptual foundations. For instance, Sam captures buildings through rubbings, serving as indices of their surfaces and textures, which he then layers with laser-etched photographs of the facades, creating mediated images of the buildings' surfaces.
By utilising archival images, he produces drawings, photographs, and laser-cut engravings. The archive, for Sam, serves as a portal to access and explore architecture, preserving memories and histories. It allows him to delve into how architects perceive their own work and its reception by the public, providing insights into the representation and documentation of architects' creations.
Sam sees these approaches as means of engaging with spaces and buildings that may have limited public access, such as corporate environments. This enables him to interact with the physical, tactile, and archival aspects of our built surroundings.
Sam van Strien, Media City Bergen, 2018. Charcoal rubbing, laser-cut engraving, paper, plywood, 179 x 252 cm. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
Sam's work often centres on a specific architect or building as a point of departure, a process that unfolds through research, reading, walking, and exploration. This method serves as a conduit for him to reflect on his connection to the built environment and architecture, contemplating how architecture moulds our experiences and memories of a city, and, in turn, shapes individuals. Having relocated multiple times over the past decade—from London to Ohio, Oslo, and North Carolina—Sam's evolving understanding and engagement with each new environment are deeply influenced by his artistic practice. This dynamic has not only shaped his perspective on the built and cultural landscapes but has also fostered a symbiotic relationship between his creative process and the distinct characteristics of each place.
His exploration of architecture often leads to serendipitous encounters with buildings steeped in intriguing histories, whether on a personal or citywide scale. Sam is particularly drawn to corporate buildings and their intricate intertwining with various facets of life, be it in the realms of finance, energy, or insurance.
Sam van Strien, A Pattern Language, 2020. Charcoal rubbing, laser-cut engraving, paper, plywood, 114 x 116 cm. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
Sam's primary mediums consist of charcoal rubbings, drawings, and laser-cut engravings. He finds charcoal rubbings intriguing as they document building surfaces at a one-to-one scale, revealing both the drawing process's gestures and the architectural features from which he takes rubbings. Conversely, laser-cut engraving serves to process and transform digital images sourced from archival photographs or photographs he captures of buildings. He's interested in repurposing the laser cutter, traditionally used for crafting maquettes or architectural models, as a tool for image-making.
His work often features a monochromatic and subtly coloured palette. This preference may stem from his fascination with modernist and formalist art, where the medium itself dictates the colours—such as the brown burn marks produced by a laser cutter, the graphite of a pencil, or the black marks of charcoal—or it could simply reflect his overall aesthetic preferences. Sam believes that employing subtle colour palettes allows for contemplation of texture and tactility, elements consistently significant in his work, particularly evident in his rubbings.
Sam van Strien, Building Capital I, 2023. Photo-engraved magnesium plate, 40 x 30 cm. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
The series 'Building Capital' originates from Sam's residency at the NARS Foundation in New York during the summer of 2023. Whilst researching the modernist skyscrapers of Manhattan, Sam was particularly intrigued by Lever House, which served as the focal point for 'Building Capital'. Notably, Lever House stands as one of the first corporate-modernist buildings in the US. Documenting both the structure itself and its archives at the MoMA, Sam contemplated how buildings function as a form of corporate branding. Lever House, originally the headquarters of the Unilever company, was emblematic of this concept, with its pioneering glass-curtain wall serving to highlight the company's products' association with cleanliness in the heart of New York City.
Sam van Strien, Building Capital II, 2023. Photo-engraved magnesium plate, 40 x 30 cm. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
Sam van Strien, Building Capital I and II, 2023. Photo-engraved magnesium plate, 40 x 30 cm. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
The artwork is crafted by exposing a photograph onto magnesium plates, capturing the essence of the image on material reminiscent of the building's steel and glass architecture. Sam's decision to exhibit the etching plate alongside the prints underscores his interest in exploring the materiality of the plate as both an object and an image, inviting viewers to contemplate its significance.
Sam van Strien, Windows, 2023, Collage on paper mounted on panel, 30 x 40 cm. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
Sam's ongoing series of collages, which originated during his residency at the NARS Foundation in New York, delves into the interplay of reflections on windows from corporate buildings. Through these works, Sam aims to experiment with repetition and evoke a sense of disorientation, offering glimpses into the intricate dynamics of glass facades on corporate towers. By arranging various elements in the collages, including patterns, colours, and textures, he endeavours to encapsulate the complexity of the visual experience of urban architecture. The reflective surfaces of the windows, often blending the exterior environment with the building's interior, serve as primary sources for these collages. The interplay of repetition in Sam's collages serves as a metaphor for the indistinguishable and placeless nature of many corporate environments and buildings, as well as the pervasive replication of these structures across the globe.
Sam van Strien, Windows, 2023. Collage on paper mounted on panel, 70 x 45 cm. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
In 2023, Sam curated his first exhibition, co-curating Notes from Another Place with Boryana Rusenova-Ina at the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts in Lubbock, Texas. Showcasing works from Sam's residency, the exhibition united five artists – Choey Eun Young Cho, Joonhong Min, Hannah Parrett, Boryana Rusenova-Ina, and Sam van Strien – to explore the realms of politics, aesthetics, and the sense of belonging. Navigating various environments, scales, and spaces, the exhibition aimed to prompt contemplation on the intricacies of identity and displacement, celebrating the diverse possibilities emerging from the transition between the familiar and the unfamiliar.
Notes from Another Place, Installation View of Exhibition. Photo Courtesy: Sam van Strien.
Looking to 2024, Sam is preparing for a solo exhibition and residency at the John David Mooney Foundation in Chicago. His upcoming work will respond to the archives and architecture of Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM), a firm pivotal in shaping the modernist architecture of Chicago and throughout the US. Renowned for contributions to modernist architecture, including Lever House, Willis Tower, and the Inland Steel Building, SOM profoundly influenced how corporations leverage modern architecture. Additionally, SOM was responsible for the master plan transformation of Canary Wharf from dockyards to a global financial centre.
Sam's body of work serves as a collection of documents, records, and visual remnants, portraying our built environment. It prompts contemplation on whether the essence of architecture can be encapsulated through mediated images or if it exists solely as palpable matter – a place to touch and see. As he ventures into new territories of curation and residencies in 2024, his journey continues to unravel the relationship between architecture, identity, and the ever-evolving urban landscape. With each project, Sam invites viewers to traverse the boundaries between the known and the unknown offering a glimpse into the multifaceted layers of our architectural heritage.
To learn more about Sam van Strien, follow him on Instagram or his website.
Selected Exhibitions
2023 Notes from Another Place, Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts, Lubbock, TX, USA
2023 Sister Cities, The Stone Space, London, UK
2023 Shadow-work, NARS Foundation, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2022 Galvanise, Spitalfields Studios, London, UK
2021 Urban Record, Keumsan Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2021 Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize, Trinity Buoy Wharf, London, UK
2020 Urban Reckoning, The Koppel Project, London, UK
2019 Maybe Something Will Appear, PADA Studios, Lisbon, Portugal
2019 ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London, UK
Selected Awards
2023 A-N Artist Bursary, The A-N Artist Information Company
2022 Developing Your Creative Practice Grant, Arts Council England
2021 Selected for inclusion in the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize exhibition
2020 The Netherland-America Foundation Cultural Grant
2017 The John Fergus Family Scholarship Award, Ohio State University
2016 The Alumni Grants for Graduate Research & Scholarship, Ohio State University
2014 Full Tuition Fellowship & Stipend (2014-17), Ohio State University
2014 Selected for inclusion in the Clyde & Co 2014 Art Awards
Residencies
2023 Artist-in-Residence, NARS Foundation, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2019 Artist-in-Residence, PADA Studios, Lisbon, Portugal
2018 Artist-in-Residence, USF Arts Centre, Bergen, Norway
2017 Artist-in-Residence, Kunstnarhuset Messen, Ålvik, Norway
Annette Fernando
Emerging Artist Co-Editor, MADE IN BED