Barbara van den Berg

Barbara van den Berg (1978) is a visual artist based in Amsterdam. Her work consists of figurative digital collages, mixed media, and paintings, in which she explores the complexity of human interaction and emotion. After studying Visual Communication in Den Bosch, she graduated from the St. Joost Academy of Fine Arts in 2003. She worked for seven years as a graphic designer and illustrator before devoting herself fully to her art.

From an early age, Barbara was fascinated by human behavior and the ways in which people connect. These observations form the core of her artistic practice: she exposes the tension between what people show and what they truly feel. Her work plays with this paradox, often using vibrant colors that evoke a sense of festivity, while at the same time revealing a deeper layer of vulnerability and longing.

A major source of inspiration is her two daughters, whose openness and imagination led her to create digital collages of children with big eyes and round cheeks—symbols of innocence, curiosity, and playfulness. These works depict children as beings halfway between human and doll, connecting with the world around them without words.