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Martin Sjardijn (born in 1947) is a Dutch artist, recognized as a visual artist, writer, poet, and philosopher. His oeuvre is characterized by a profound interdisciplinary approach, bringing together art, science, and technology to explore fundamental questions about reality, perception, and the human experience.
Martin Sjardijn pursued his artistic education at the Vrije Academie in The Hague from 1966 to 1968, followed by studies at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague from 1968 to 1973. His intellectual development was further deepened by his study of cultural sciences at the Open University from 1978 to 1981, with a specific focus on philosophy and literature. This combined academic background laid the foundation for his ability to connect aesthetics with theoretical reflection, through which he seeks to bridge the traditional gap between art and science.
A central concept in Martin Sjardijn's thought is his 'Total Idealism'. This concept is addressed in his philosophical texts and poems, which are often inspired by contemporary philosophy and physics. 'Total Idealism' can be placed within the broader philosophical tradition of idealism, which posits that reality is primarily mental or consciousness-based, and that ideas represent the highest form of reality.
Sjardijn's artistic projects are direct manifestations of this philosophical position. His pursuit of 'immaterial new objectivity' and 'meta-reality' in 'outer and cyberspace', as well as his focus on 'weightless sculpture', reflect a movement beyond conventional material forms into a purely conceptual or ideal space. The 'zero of 3D-form' in his 'Black Box' project can be philosophically interpreted as a transition to a domain where physical primacy is relinquished.
Sjardijn's philosophical ideas find their most concrete expression in his conceptual art projects, which often transcend the boundaries of traditional media and utilize new technological possibilities.
Since 1985, Sjardijn has been working on the project "A Line in Outer Space – Visible from Earth – With the naked eye – At clear nights". This project involves the creation of sculptures that rotate in weightlessness, ideally within CubeSats (small satellites), and are then communicated globally via the internet. The first presentations took place in 1986 at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, accompanied by an animation titled "Leeg Vierkant 1986", created in collaboration with astronomer Dr. Wim Bijleveld and the Digistar planetary computer at the Omniversum.
Sjardijn's interest in weightless sculpture, which emerged in 1984, led to extensive experiments with virtual reality (VR) at Delft University of Technology starting in 1990. Under the supervision of Prof. Erik Jansen and Jouke Verlinden, he experimented with Head Mounted Displays and tactile force feedback datagloves. With the advent of the internet, he further immersed himself in interactive virtual reality, 3D printing techniques, and robotics. In 2000, he developed an interactive virtual museum for the Groninger Museum, and between 2010 and 2014, he created the interactive installation "Elements". His ultimate ambition is to place 3D-printed sculptures in weightlessness within a CubeSat, which would then be observed by an internal camera and shared globally via the internet. The project symbolizes a 'meta-reality' and a 'new immaterial global realism', where weightlessness functions as a metaphor for transcending material limitations.
"Black Box" is another significant project that embodies Sjardijn's thinking. This work is explicitly described as the "spatial successor to Malevich's 'Black Square'". The project begins "from zero, in zero, via virtual reality to the first extraterrestrial weightless sculptures". The intention is to "go beyond the zero of 3D-form and emerge from nothing into a Line, that is, into meta-reality, into the new immaterial global realism in outer and cyberspace to virtual and extraterrestrial creation". Sjardijn extends Malevich's concept of 'zero' to the digital and extraterrestrial domain, aiming for "the experience of immaterial new objectivity in the void of a liberated cultural space". "Black Box" is a radical reinterpretation of modernist abstraction for the 21st century, shedding physical form and embracing the immaterial and interconnected nature of advanced technology and virtual space.
Martin Sjardijn has played a pioneering role in the development of digital art and interactive virtual reality. His engagement with technology is not merely instrumental; it is an integral part of his philosophical exploration of the nature of reality and perception. Starting in the 1980s, he began to research new technologies and was one of the first to experiment with VR at Delft University of Technology.
This pioneering role was characterized by various interdisciplinary collaborations, such as with astronomer Dr. Wim Bijleveld on the animation "Leeg Vierkant" (1986). His experiments with VR at TU Delft, which began in 1990, were groundbreaking. His ArtSpaceLab project includes a virtual exhibition and a proposal for an art project on the International Space Station (ISS).
Sjardijn profoundly reflects on the changing relationship between humans, art, and technology. His work with VR allows him to experience images as "more contextless than ever and more autonomous than before," which he considers his "legacy from Francis Bacon." This suggests that with VR, Sjardijn achieves a similar effect of isolation and intensification of the visual experience as Bacon, but through technological means. He views technology, particularly VR, not merely as an instrument for creating new forms, but as a philosophical tool that fundamentally changes the relationship between the artwork, its context, and the viewer.
Although Martin Sjardijn is a pioneer in digital art and advanced technologies, he also returned to painting in 2011. His approach to painting is process-oriented: "When I paint, I want to be surprised by the brush, The ink, the paint, the linen and the movement of my hand. Linen, brush, paint and ink have their own strength and intelligence. The only thing I want to do is to set a theme as a starting point. On the basis of this, the process can take place". He considers the tension between "crisis and chance" as a "gift." This approach, inspired by Francis Bacon and Tracey Emin, contrasts with the precision and control often associated with his digital projects, but reveals a deeper philosophy that explores the limits of autonomy.
His artistic practice thus embodies a refined philosophical quest for the interplay between human intention, technological possibilities, and the inherent properties of materials and processes. Despite his focus on technology and abstract concepts, humanity remains the central source of inspiration in his work. He also explores nude studies and direct actions, anchoring his abstract and technological explorations in universal themes.
Martin Sjardijn disseminates his ideas not only through his artworks but also through written publications and public presentations. He writes philosophical texts about his concept of 'Total Idealism' and poems inspired by contemporary philosophy and physics. A specific academic publication attributed to him is "Digital Technologies and Fine Art - A complex relationship" (2012), published in AR[t]. The Hague: Royal Academy of Art.
A significant public articulation of his ideas took place during his TEDxTheHague presentation in 2011, titled "Earth is Done." In this presentation, Sjardijn discussed his ambitious dream of placing small, 3D-printed sculptures in weightlessness within a CubeSat and communicating them globally via the internet. The title "Earth is Done" suggests a philosophical stance on the limitations or perceived completion of earthly art and the necessity to move beyond it. The presentation functions as a powerful public manifesto, demonstrating Sjardijn's conviction that the future of art lies beyond the confines of Earth.