BIOGRAPHY
Of the Tropism Art & Science Foundation
A tropism (from Greek τρόπος, tropos, 'a turning') is a biological phenomenon, indicating growth or turning movement of a biological organism, usually a plant, in response to an environmental stimulus” (Wikipedia). The most common example of tropism is a plant growing in the direction of light. The Tropism collective was founded in 1986 by Alfred Marseille, Robin Noorda and Bob van Walderveen †. Current members also include Margot van de Stolpe, Menno Schrap, Paul Godschalk and a range of guest Tropists. Taking their lead from the biological phenomenon, the Tropists are a Dutch collective of installation artists, photographers, media artists, designers, cineasts and scientists. In their work they deal with phenomena occurring literally or figuratively at the edge of perception - events that are hardly noticed, but which lead to a reaction similar to the manner in which a plant responds to light (e.g. phototropism.) The Tropists feel a great affinity with the natural world, and their works seek to depict natural phenomena in new and unusual ways.
A decade of exhibitions, films, performances and light installations
2009 Red-end and the Seemingly Symbiotic Society - stop-motion animation film, international film festival awards
2010 Shivering Beauty - Soundscape of Mongolia, directors cut of the broadcasted documentary film
2012 Flora Sonora - Museum-night Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam - performances and film
2013 Photosynthesis - Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam - exhibition, installations, films
2014 Sneaky Serpents - Amsterdam Light Festival - light installation
2014 This Is It - Amsterdam Light Festival - light installation
2015 Red-end and the Factory Plant - stop-motion animation film, international filmfestival awards
2015 Photosynthesis - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scotland - exhibition, performance, installations, films
2015 Sneaky Serpents - Norrköping Light Festival, Sweden - light installation
2016 Sneaky Serpents - Noorderzon Festival Groningen - light installation
2016 You lookin' at me? - Amsterdam Light Festival - light installation
2017 Sneaky Serpents - Shenzhen Seaworld Cultural Festival, China - light installation
2017 You lookin' at me? - I light Marina Bay, Singapore light festival - light installation
2017 You lookin' at me? - Vivid Sydney - light installation in the Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney
2018 Tropism Lab - Flower Art Museum - permanent wing for the Photosynthesis exhibition
2018 Ultra Vanity - Grachten Galerie Utrecht, Masterly The Hague, Flower Art Museum - photography exhibitions
2019 On the Spur - stop-motion animation film, work in progress
2019 Ultra Vanity - Schimmelpennik Gallery, ART The Hague, Sandvoort Gallery, Flower Art Museum - photography exhibitions
2019 Sonotrope - Cinedans in Eye Film Museum, VR music-sculpting-dance performance, work in progress
Recent catalogue publication:
2015 Photosynthesis, shedding new lights on plants, printed catalogue and app version, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Mission
Sustainability and awareness are areas of interest and are involved in most of the Tropistic works although the artists do not emphasize this. It is a message well wrapped to be revealed and experienced as a personal discovery and thus hopefully persist better in the mind of the spectator. A good example of that is our travelling exhibition Photosynthesis, consisting of 122 photographic works, 2 installations and 10 films targeted at shedding new light on plants. After visiting the exhibition the visitor has gained a persisting shifted and lifted perception of admiration for nature.
Article on Ultra Vanity in Den Haag Centraal:
Of the Tropism Art & Science Foundation
A tropism (from Greek τρόπος, tropos, 'a turning') is a biological phenomenon, indicating growth or turning movement of a biological organism, usually a plant, in response to an environmental stimulus” (Wikipedia). The most common example of tropism is a plant growing in the direction of light. The Tropism collective was founded in 1986 by Alfred Marseille, Robin Noorda and Bob van Walderveen †. Current members also include Margot van de Stolpe, Menno Schrap, Paul Godschalk and a range of guest Tropists. Taking their lead from the biological phenomenon, the Tropists are a Dutch collective of installation artists, photographers, media artists, designers, cineasts and scientists. In their work they deal with phenomena occurring literally or figuratively at the edge of perception - events that are hardly noticed, but which lead to a reaction similar to the manner in which a plant responds to light (e.g. phototropism.) The Tropists feel a great affinity with the natural world, and their works seek to depict natural phenomena in new and unusual ways.
A decade of exhibitions, films, performances and light installations
2009 Red-end and the Seemingly Symbiotic Society - stop-motion animation film, international film festival awards
2010 Shivering Beauty - Soundscape of Mongolia, directors cut of the broadcasted documentary film
2012 Flora Sonora - Museum-night Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam - performances and film
2013 Photosynthesis - Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam - exhibition, installations, films
2014 Sneaky Serpents - Amsterdam Light Festival - light installation
2014 This Is It - Amsterdam Light Festival - light installation
2015 Red-end and the Factory Plant - stop-motion animation film, international filmfestival awards
2015 Photosynthesis - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scotland - exhibition, performance, installations, films
2015 Sneaky Serpents - Norrköping Light Festival, Sweden - light installation
2016 Sneaky Serpents - Noorderzon Festival Groningen - light installation
2016 You lookin' at me? - Amsterdam Light Festival - light installation
2017 Sneaky Serpents - Shenzhen Seaworld Cultural Festival, China - light installation
2017 You lookin' at me? - I light Marina Bay, Singapore light festival - light installation
2017 You lookin' at me? - Vivid Sydney - light installation in the Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney
2018 Tropism Lab - Flower Art Museum - permanent wing for the Photosynthesis exhibition
2018 Ultra Vanity - Grachten Galerie Utrecht, Masterly The Hague, Flower Art Museum - photography exhibitions
2019 On the Spur - stop-motion animation film, work in progress
2019 Ultra Vanity - Schimmelpennik Gallery, ART The Hague, Sandvoort Gallery, Flower Art Museum - photography exhibitions
2019 Sonotrope - Cinedans in Eye Film Museum, VR music-sculpting-dance performance, work in progress
Recent catalogue publication:
2015 Photosynthesis, shedding new lights on plants, printed catalogue and app version, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Mission
Sustainability and awareness are areas of interest and are involved in most of the Tropistic works although the artists do not emphasize this. It is a message well wrapped to be revealed and experienced as a personal discovery and thus hopefully persist better in the mind of the spectator. A good example of that is our travelling exhibition Photosynthesis, consisting of 122 photographic works, 2 installations and 10 films targeted at shedding new light on plants. After visiting the exhibition the visitor has gained a persisting shifted and lifted perception of admiration for nature.
Article on Ultra Vanity in Den Haag Centraal:
