Born in Assen in 1945, Bert Schutter studied at the Royal Academy of Art in Den Bosch between 1965 and 1970. His first installations and exhibitions emerged in 1978, marking the beginning of a career that would see him become one of the Netherlands' early media artists. In 1985, Bert took on a role as a lecturer at the Audiovisual Department of Academie Minerva in Groningen, helping to shape the next generation of artists.

He was deeply engaged with concepts of time and movement, often using familiar symbols of Dutch culture—such as tulips and windmills—as starting points for his investigations. His pieces, like Still Life / Still Alive (1981) and Mill x Molen (1982), reimagined these objects through a distorted lens, blending video with other visual art forms to create works that were as thought-provoking as they were innovative.

Schutter's video works are characterised by their inventiveness and ingenious integration of video with visual art. Through these pieces, Schutter presents a unique perspective on objects, offering a distinct and often unconventional view of the world around him.

One of his most important contributions was his involvement in the early days of MonteVideo, later known as Netherlands Media Art Institute (NIMk), an institute for the promotion of the development, application and distribution of media art and predecessor of LI-MA. His participation there helped solidify his position as a key figure in the development of media art in the country. His exploration of video sculpture and his unique manipulation of media materials set the stage for many artists who followed.

Beyond his artistic practice, LI-MA had the privilege of working with him to preserve key pieces of his work, including Mill x Molen, which was safeguarded for the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE), and Les Baigneuses, which was preserved for museum presentation. Schutter also lent his words of support to LI-MA in 2024, in solidarity with our mission to preserve, present, and support media art, its artists, and the genre as a whole: “It is incomprehensible that the importance of LI-MA's work has to be explained again and again.”

Bert Schutter's influence extends beyond his artwork to the many interviews, papers, and discussions that documented his thoughts on art, technology, and preservation. As we reflect on his life and work, we honour his pioneering spirit and the enduring impact he has had on the field of media art. His work continues to inspire and challenge us, and his contributions to the preservation of media art will remain vital for generations to come. Bert will be deeply missed, but his legacy lives on in the works he created and the future he helped shape.

Header image: Still from video interview of Bert Schutter with René Coelho. Credit: MonteVideo. View on Vimeo.