Bram Ellens was born in 1978 and is a Jekyll and Hyde pur sang. After a turbulent international career as an internet entrepreneur for 10 years, in 2015 he decided to on a career shift and started working as an artist under the pseudonym Edward Bernsteyn. By means of self-study and a group of mentors, Bram developed himself into an early-stage-autonomous- artist.
He is known as an entrepreneurial artist and mainly makes theatrical sculptures and installations. Bram enjoys the big gesture, but tries to evoke a stillness in it. His works are inclusive, but not superficial. The arousal of curiosity is a common thread in all his work, it invites contact.
Bram was in the spotlight for the first time in 2016 with his 'Apping glow in the dark gnome installations'. He likes to exhibit outside the regular circuit, with his latest solo exhibition 'Orphans' at the World Trade Center in Amsterdam as a latest example. This is also the exhibition where Bram Ellens says goodbye to his pseudonym Edward and starts working and exhibiting under his own name again.
Bram works with his operational team at Bloom studios in Weesp, still bronzed from the tropical sun of his stay at Curaçao at the Instituto Buena Bista.
Exhibitions
January-August 2020 - group exhibition at museum HEM Zaanstad
January 2020 - shortlisted Sculptures in the city (London, UK)
January 2020 - group exhibition @PLAY in Zaandam
July-Aug 2019 - Watou kunstenfestival (Belgium)
April 2019 - group exhibition @NEUS Nijmegen
April - May 2019 - group exhibition @ House for sale Apeldoorn
8 February - 11 February 2019 - group exhibition @ Object Rotterdam
10 October -14 October 2018 - group exhibition @ Big Art Amsterdam
June 20th 2018 - group exhibition @ IBB Center for Contemporary Art Curacao
9 February - 11 February 2018 - group exhibition @ Object Rotterdam
11 January - 31 March 2018 - solo exhibition @ WTC Amsterdam
17-18 June 2017 - performance @ Flower museum Aalsmeer
February 2017 - solo exhibition @ TQ Amsterdam
24 September 2016 - solo exhibition "Sorry? You were saying?" @ Amstelkerk Amsterdam
13 Feb - 30 May 2016 - glow in the dark gnomes @ Gallery Peter Leen XL
11-12 Feb 2016 - solo exhibition "Sorry? You were saying?" @ Pauluskerk Breukelen
May 2015, 2016 and 2017 - group exhibition @ Kunstronde Stichtse Vecht
Bram Ellens in the press and other cool stuff
Article - The stale taste of success
The giant works of Bram Ellens still look vulnerable and endearing - Mister Motley (art magazine)
My favorites of Big Art 2, the Orphans - Juxtapoz magazine (art blog)
My favorites of Big Art, the Orphans - Grey Lady (art blog)
A prison as a great gallery - Parool (Dutch newspaper)
"Sorry? you were saying?" news item - RTV Utrecht (Dutch TV)
Gnomes illustrate the indifference - Algemeen Dagblad (Dutch newspaper)
Apping gnomes around a coffin - RTV Utrecht
(Dutch radio and online)
Mocoloco, Bored Panda and Nachtbrakers about "Sorry? You were saying?" (art & design blogs)
Apping garden gnomes - Computable
(Magazine)
Edward Bernsteyn @ Linie in Lichterlaaie - Utrechts Dagblad
(Dutch Newspaper)
The studio
The studio of the artist in Holland is at Bloom Studios in Weesp. It is a vibrant place where sculptures and installations are created, musicians write songs, and start-ups see their first light. You are more than welcome to visit, yet please contact us in advance so that we can check the agenda of the artist.