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 was founded some thirty years ago 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.
Recent exhibitions, projects and installations:
2012 Museum-night - Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, Netherlands - Flora Sonora performances and film
2013 Photosynthesis - Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, Netherlands - exhibition, installations, films
2014 Sneaky Serpents - Amsterdam Light Festival, Netherlands - light installation
2014 This Is It - Amsterdam Light Festival, Netherlands - light installation
2015 Photosynthesis - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scotland - exhibition, installations, films
2015 Sneaky Serpents - Norrköping Light Festival, Sweden - light installation
2016 Sneaky Serpents - Noorderzon Festival Groningen, Netherlands - light installation
2016 You lookin' at me? - Amsterdam Light Festival, Netherlands - 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 Flower Museum, Aalsmeer - Tropism Lab, permanent exhibition wing
2018 Masterly The Hague - Ultra Vanity photography exhibition
2018 On the Spur - stop-motion animation film, work in progress
2018 Sonotrope - VR music-sculpting performance installation, work in progress
2018 Het Vervreemden van Loods 6 (selling Loods 6) documentary film work in progress
Recent 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.
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 was founded some thirty years ago 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.
Recent exhibitions, projects and installations:
2012 Museum-night - Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, Netherlands - Flora Sonora performances and film
2013 Photosynthesis - Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, Netherlands - exhibition, installations, films
2014 Sneaky Serpents - Amsterdam Light Festival, Netherlands - light installation
2014 This Is It - Amsterdam Light Festival, Netherlands - light installation
2015 Photosynthesis - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scotland - exhibition, installations, films
2015 Sneaky Serpents - Norrköping Light Festival, Sweden - light installation
2016 Sneaky Serpents - Noorderzon Festival Groningen, Netherlands - light installation
2016 You lookin' at me? - Amsterdam Light Festival, Netherlands - 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 Flower Museum, Aalsmeer - Tropism Lab, permanent exhibition wing
2018 Masterly The Hague - Ultra Vanity photography exhibition
2018 On the Spur - stop-motion animation film, work in progress
2018 Sonotrope - VR music-sculpting performance installation, work in progress
2018 Het Vervreemden van Loods 6 (selling Loods 6) documentary film work in progress
Recent 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.
