Writer, singer, musician, and visual artist Herman van Veen (born 1945) has a strong bond with Bergen. He often came there to visit a friend’s beach pavilion. Another connection to Bergen runs through Theo Olthuis. “This poet occasionally writes a wonderful text for me,” says Van Veen. “Now I’m returning to Bergen with paintings inspired by the sea. I’m looking forward to that reunion.” He created new work especially for this exhibition; large, colorful, and abstract.
At first glance
Herman van Veen paints
Herman van Veen plays the violin, sings, writes, composes, directs, acts, and paints. He is a virtuoso and versatile stage artist with an impressive track record. In 1965, Van Veen first took to the stage and has toured the world with his performances ever since. He has performed in international theaters: L’Olympia, Carré, Friedrichstadtpalast, and Carnegie Hall, where he sings his repertoire in four languages with apparent ease. He is also the creator of the world-famous comic strip character orphan duck Alfred Jodocus Kwak. His work has been translated into twenty languages. To date, he has released 178 CDs, 25 DVDs, and approximately 70 books.
Van Veen has been actively committed to children’s rights for over fifty years, has served as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF for many years, and—in addition to the many international awards he has received—can call himself an Honoris Causa Professor of the Martin Buber University Brussels/Kerkrade. He also holds an honorary doctorate from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Free University of Brussels) for his humanitarian efforts, his consistent stance against all forms of injustice, and his defense of freedom of speech. Van Veen is a recipient of the Verdienstkreuz am Band des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Crest of Merit in the Order of Service of the Federal Republic of Germany), a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau, and a Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion.
