Artistic Movement: How Werner Bronkhorst's Works Move People

(Image courtesy of Werner Bronkhorst.)

When you hear someone analyze a piece of art, they discuss how the artist adheres to or rebels against design principles. The J. Paul Getty Musuem classifies design principles as Balance, Emphasis, Pattern, Repetition, Proposition, Rhythm, Variety, Unity, and Movement (J. Paul Getty Musuem, 2021). While every principle adds value to a work, today's piece focuses on Movement and Rhythm.

(Image courtesy of Werner Bronkhorst.)

The J. Paul Getty Museum defines Movement as "the path the viewer's eye takes through the work of art, often to focal areas. Such movement can be directed along lines, edges, shape, and color within the work of art" and Rythm as "created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of organized movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep rhythm exciting and active, variety is essential."

(Image courtesy of Werner Bronkhorst.)

To be a successful artist in 2023, an artist must find something new to say. Social media allows for meritocracy and a fickle audience. To survive and thrive, artists must transcend their work to become a movement. Werner Bronkhorst has succeeded on this front. When you look at any Bronkhorst work, you are transported into a different world. You are no longer in your everyday life as you feel the rush of cool air on the slopes or prepare for the upcoming ocean swell. I recently spoke with him to learn more about how he incorporates its mission and vision into his work.

(Image courtesy of Werner Bronkhorst.)

1. What is art?

While there is a spectrum of opinions on what art is, I define art as something on display for people's enjoyment. Some artists believe art must be in a gallery to be considered art. But, artists can showcase their work on any medium. At the end of the day, who knows what art is?

(Image courtesy of Werner Bronkhorst.)

2. What is your artistic journey?

I'm 21. My artistic journey began when I started painting at 13. For the past eight years, I have been growing my audience organically and discovering my artistic style. In 2022, I began to experiment with different textures. In addition to my visual art, I own a furniture company where I use plaster to create textured products. I had a surplus of materials from that endeavor. So, I combined these materials to create textures on a canvas. After realizing dried plaster looked like snow, I decided to add miniature figures to the work. I posted videos to Tik Tok and Instagram to document the process; the rest is history. The videos went viral, and I realized I could make collections from my work that showcased different parts of the world.

(Image courtesy of Werner Bronkhorst.)

3. How do you incorporate your mission and vision into your work?

My mission is simple: I believe anyone can enjoy and understand art. Art does not have to be just for the people who buy artwork. That's why I make my art simple and digestible. My vision is for people to know anyone can enjoy art.

(Image courtesy of Werner Bronkhorst.)

4. What advice would you give to students and young professionals who want to enter into this realm?

I have no formal art education. But, my lack of formal instruction does not mean I did not learn. I watched Youtube videos and online courses on various artistic techniques. If you want to make a living from your work, I would learn how to use social media to showcase your work. When you use social media, consistency is vital. One video or post can lead to limitless opportunities.

(Image courtesy of Werner Bronkhorst.)