Bernard Heesen
NetherlandsBernard Heesen (born 1958, Leerdam, the Netherlands) is a Dutch glass artist known for his conceptual and often playful approach to glass. Trained originally as an architect and largely self-taught as a glassmaker, Heesen’s work explores the boundaries between art and craft, industry and handwork, originality and reproduction.
In 1982 he joined De Oude Horn, the glass studio founded by his father in Acquoy, where he developed his skills as a glassblower and began experimenting with the expressive and narrative potential of the material.
His artistic practice formally began in 1986, marked by an unusual expedition to Mount Etna, where he attempted to blow bubbles from molten lava—an experiment that reflects his fascination with the elemental nature of glass. Throughout his career Heesen has approached glass with a conceptual lens, often referencing historical imagery and everyday objects.
For Matera, his work Pera Russa originates from his Encyclopedic Artefacts series, in which he translated 19th-century encyclopedic engravings into glass forms. Within the Matera project, this glass object is reinterpreted in marble, extending Heesen’s exploration of material transformation and the dialogue between craft traditions.
As of 2026, Bernard Heesen continues to work actively in his studio, remaining an influential figure in contemporary glass art.
In 1982 he joined De Oude Horn, the glass studio founded by his father in Acquoy, where he developed his skills as a glassblower and began experimenting with the expressive and narrative potential of the material.
His artistic practice formally began in 1986, marked by an unusual expedition to Mount Etna, where he attempted to blow bubbles from molten lava—an experiment that reflects his fascination with the elemental nature of glass. Throughout his career Heesen has approached glass with a conceptual lens, often referencing historical imagery and everyday objects.
For Matera, his work Pera Russa originates from his Encyclopedic Artefacts series, in which he translated 19th-century encyclopedic engravings into glass forms. Within the Matera project, this glass object is reinterpreted in marble, extending Heesen’s exploration of material transformation and the dialogue between craft traditions.
As of 2026, Bernard Heesen continues to work actively in his studio, remaining an influential figure in contemporary glass art.
Bernard Heesen
Bernard Heesen