CV
Emmy Bergsma, drawing artist
Personal details:
Born 1960, The Netherlands
Lives and works in Zwolle – the Netherlands [NL]
mail@emmybergsma.nl
0031 [0]6-15350565
Emmy Bergsma’s practice spans monumental drawings, papercuts, iPad films, installations, and performances. For her, drawing is a way of listening — to body, world, and what has yet to appear. Interconnections between people, plants, and landscapes lie at its core. Rooted in a diaspora family, Bergsma grew up with stories of Asian philosophies of nature. Gardens her relatives planted as acts of care and continuity still shape her approach. Her works are not literal depictions but portals where the familiar meets the mysterious, translating the mystical into abstract marks and shadowy spaces that invite exploration.
Education
2023 Masterclass Lithography Basement Press Diepenheim 2014 Masterclass Drawing Center Diepenheim 1985-1990 Bachelor of Fine Arts, AKI, ArtEZ, Academy of Visual Arts, Enschede NL
Workperiods on location [all with funding]
2025 Artist in Residence Maison Van Gogh Musée Beaux Arts Mon, Belgium 2023 Artist in Residence Kloster Bentlage Rheine, Germany 2022 Artist in Residence AiR van Gogh Zundert, NL
2020 Artist in Residence in Drawing Centre Diepenheim NL
2020 Workperiod in Les Landes [France], Project Grant TaNDem Euregio
2018 Work periods in Calabria [Italy] and Bialowieza [Poland], Project Grant TaNDem Euregio
1990 Work period Indonesia [Java, Madura and Kei Islands] Project Grant NUFFIC
1987 Work period Rome, Italy, Project Grant AKI Academy
Grants
2024 Projekt Stipendium DA Kunsthaus Kloster Gravenhorst Germany 2020 Project Grant TaNDem, Euregio
2018 Project Grant TaNDem, Euregio
1991 & 1992 Start stipendia Gemeente Zwolle
1990 Stipendium NUFFIC – 3 month work period in Indonesia
1987 Stipendium AKI – Academy of arts – work period Rome [Italy]
Publications
2024 HOUTSKOOL HOLZKOHLE CHARCOAL Lisanne Sloots, Josien Beltman Emmy Bergsma, Kloster Bentlage/Rijksmuseum Twenthe 2021 AMONG THE TREES Susanne von Bülow, Emmy Bergsma & Sumana Roy, Deadalus Verlag
2019 LICHTUNG, TaNDem kunst Euregio
2015 DIALOG 1, Kloster Bentlage Rheine, Kunst uit huis, Collectie Wilploo en Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
2009 BLUE IN BLACK, Emmy Bergsma and Marcel Goossen, Stedelijk Museum Zwolle
Press
NRW Mixed Grill Kunstmagazine KM magazine Parool
Nooit meer slapen [radio]
Stentor
Kunstbeeld
Grafschafter Nachrichten
NDR Gelderlander [radio]
Drawing performances
2025, 2024 Into The Thicket – with Susanne von Bülow, Kloster Gravenhorst Hörstel, Germany 2020 Morning Sessions, Psst Performance Festival Worldwide 2018 Daily Traces, Amsterdam Central Station NL 2014 Plant Maps 3.0, PPP-Performance-Art festival in Münster and Münsterland D
2013 Twente Biennale Enschede NL
1994 Phone Home, Marktplatz Lünen, Tele-Artproject Lünen D
1993 Eye tot Eye, Librije Zwolle NL
Commission
2014 Trendbureau Overijssel – Toekomstbeelden
2013 Stichting Beeldruimte – Boombeelden, Landgoed den Alerdinck, Heino
1996 Bouwburo Houten – Kerkgebouw Sjalom Den Bosch
Others
Current Teacher and coach Drawing students Tekenkamer NL 2015 Guest teacher drawing AKI Academie of visual arts – Enschede NL
2009-2013 Artistic leader GRENSWERTE, a Dutch-German Art Programm EUREGIO
2006-2012 Kunst & Cultuur Overijssel, projectmanager, coach, advisor, teacher NL
1992-1995 Curator Galerie Het Langhuis Zwolle NL
Art Fairs
2026 Vouch 6, Amsterdam
2025 Drawing Now Paris, Galerie la Ferronnerie
2024 Vouch 4 Amsterdam
2024 Drawing Now Paris, Galerie la Ferronnerie
2023 Art Noord, museum Belvédère – galerie Getekend
2019 Vouch 1 Amsterdam
2019 Art on Paper Amsterdam – galerie Getekend
Works in collections
Museum de Fundatie/collectie Provincie Overijssel Zwolle/Heino, Museum Huis Van Gogh Zundert, Rabobank NL, Rijksmuseum Twenthe Enschede, Vice Versa, Kunstuitleen Hof 88 Almelo, private collections in Germany, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, USA
Exhibitions (selection)
2025
Current
Monts et Merveilles – Galerie La Ferronnerie Paris
I ask the Plants – Maison Van Gogh, Mons – Cuesmes [solo]
Archive
Jardin Secrets, légendes et couleurs – Galerie la Ferronnerie, Paris
BIOPHILIA – DA Kunsthaus Hörstel Germany
Le Génie des Arbres with Warffemius – Galerie la Ferronnerie, Paris
Wintertijd – Galerie Getekend Heerenveen
2024
Houtskool – Rijksmuseum Twenthe Enschede NL, 21 Jan – 2 2024 Emmy Bergsma, Benjamin Nachtwey, Lisanne Sloots, Jitske Bakker, Daniela Baumann, Agatha van Amée, Gerben Dirven
Roots, Museum Huis van Gogh in Zundert NL, Emmy Bergsma, Robert Zandvliet, Sabine Timmermans
2023
Art Noord with Galerie Getekend, Art Fair in Museum Belvédère Oranjewoud NL
Het veranderlijke Landschap, Museum de Fundatie Zwolle NL
A Landscape Within, De Nieuwe Gang Beuningen NL
Holzkohle, Das Material, Die Idee, Kloster Bentlage Rheine D Mei – April 2023 Emmy Bergsma, Benjamin Nachtwey, Matthias Weischer, Lisanne Sloots, Jitske Bakker, Daniela Baumann, Agatha van Amée, Gerben Dirven
2022
Galerie Joli Berg aan de Maas Emmy Bergsma, Reinoud van Vught en Jacobien de Rooij 1 mei – 26 juni 2022
De Achtergrond EXTRAPOOL Nijmegen NL Mei 2022
Artist in Residence in AiR van Gogh in Zundert NL Juli 2022
2021
Het landschap en de geordende verbeelding, SchlessArt Gallery Bergen NL, curator Arno Kramer. Emmy Bergsma, Carlijn Mens, Hans de Wit, Gam Bodenhausen, Tjibbe Hooghiemstra, Marlies Appel, Kim Habers, Hanneke Francken, Stephan van den Burg, Jan van der Pol, Rozemarijn Westerink, Jacobien de Rooij
Among The Trees, Kunstverein Ahlen D, Susanne von Bülow & Emmy Bergsma
Kunstlokaal 08, Jubbega NL, Emmy Bergsma & Willem Speekenbrink
2020
Nature Seekers, CW 12 Zwolle NL Emmy Bergsma & Marit Dik
Nature in The House Kunsthandel P de Boer AmsterdamNL Barbara Nanning, Emmy Bergsma, Susanna Bauer, Herma de Wit, Clementine Oomes, Roos Holleman
Het landschap van de Ziel, Losdok, Amsterdam Merel Ellen, Lisanne Sloots, Danielle Vidal & Emmy Bergsma
Houtskool, het materiaal, de tekening WG kunst Amsterdam, curator: Lisanne Sloots, with Emmy Bergsma, Liesje van den Berk, Fleurien Dingemans, Cathelijn van Goor, Anouk Griffioen, Aal Günther, Ellen de Jong, Nanette Kraaikamp, Monica Rotgans, Renie Spoelstra, Manja van der Storm & Karin Rianne Westendorp
2019
Ask the trees – Galerie Getekend Heerenveen [NL] – solo,
Herfstsalon – Galerie Espace Enny Laag Keppel [NL],
Gedeelde heimwee – Galerie Espace Enny Laag Keppel [NL] with Lynne Leegte a.o.
Wonderland – Galerie Agnes Raben Vorden [NL] – with Marena Seeling a.o.,
Getekend – Galerie Getekend Heerenveen [NL] – with Sandra Kruisbrink a.o., Vouch – Loods 6 Amsterdam – with Rosemin Hendriks. Mirka Farabegoli a.o.,
Lichtung part 1 – Kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim Nueuenhaus [D] with Sarah Grothus,
Lichtung part 2 – Rijksmuseum Twenthe Enschede [NL] with Sarah Grothus
2018
Huis als Museum – Amersfoort [NL] with Elise van der Linden, Marianne Lammersen a.o..
Tekenkabinet – Amsterdam [NL]
Gum – Cacaofabriek Helmond [NL]
Verknipt en verscheurd – Galerie de Meerse, Hoofddorp [NL]
Daily traces – Amsterdam Central Station [NL]
2017 De Aard der Dingen – Rijksmuseum Twenthe Enschede [NL] with Sigrid van Woudenberg a.o., Botanica – Drawing Centre Diepenheim [NL] – with Charlotte Schrameyer a.o., Dark Matter – ‘t Vrijhof Enschede [NL] – with Veronique Schrama a.o.
2016 Bodendecker – Ruller Haus, Wallenhorst [D] | soloWare aard – Galerie Espace Enny Laag Keppel [NL] – with Reinoud van Vught a.o.
2015 documentateilnahme – Ateliergemeinschaft Münster [D] with Susanne v Bülow & Benjamin Nachtwey, Kunst uit huis – Stedelijk Museum Schiedam [NL], Dialog 1 – Kloster Bentlage, Rheine [D] with Susanne v Bülow
2014 Tekenkabinet – Museum Waterland Purmerend en Amsterdam Westpoort [NL], 16’43” – Galerie Dynamo Expo Enschede [NL], solo
2013 [gedrukt] – Performance Factory Enschede [NL], Identifying Europe – Twente Biennale Enschede [NL] – solo
2012 emmy bergsma – Cultuursalon Zwolle [NL] | soloPoëzien Stadtmuseum Borken [D]
2011 emmy bergsma – Galerie Quinta Bies Enschede [NL]- solo
2010 Een ander gezicht – Stedelijk Museum Kampen [NL] | with Edith Meijering, James Ensor, Marlene Dumas, Caren van Herwaarden e.o., Studio Stephan US – Speicher II Münster [D]
2009 blue in black – Stedelijk Museum Zwolle [NL] | with Marcel Goossen