Mark Bern received his first Commodore 64 at the age of 14. The 8-bit world it presented fascinated the (then) nascent artist. His fascination with pixel art continued, and eventually resulted in Mark creating digital pixel art – something he has been doing for the past 20 years.
As technology advanced, it added another dimension to the work of this artist. Since 2014, 3D printing was introduced to Mark’s art, taking it from abstract pixel art to 3D printed pixel art sculptures, all the while retaining the soul and original direction of the art.
His first public art collection Marbella was released in 2013. The collection presented the unique look of 8-bit pixelated art for its inspiration – the landscapes and atmosphere of Andalusia. More art has been presented since, and to encouraging acclaim.
Staying true to his original inspiration, this Swiss artist finds the potential of creating entire worlds from a blank computer screen. As Mark puts it:
Where some see logic and numbers, I see the potential to create entire worlds from a blank computer screen. My work begins as a grid, from which I use a digital colour palette to build layers of abstract compositions. I mostly draw upon inspiration from the natural world, sensing the changes of light and colour as they come into contact with objects, landscapes and people. I capture the reflections, refractions and illusions which manipulate our normative construct of what something should look like.
You can see more of Mark’s work on his website, and connect with him on Facebook and Instagram.
