Born in London in 1978, Jacob Van der Beugel studied History of Art at the University of York before embarking on his own artistic practice. He worked as an apprentice and assistant to ceramic artist and author Edmund de Waal, and potter and author Rupert Spira. Van der Beugel’s work is a material exploration of multiple types of clay and concrete, and his artistic repertoire ranges from large, site-specific architectural installations, like the concrete aggregate mural adorning the University of Cambridge’s Chemistry of Health building (2018), to more intimate gallery pieces on a human scale. In recent years, van de Beugel’s focus has gravitated towards unravelling man’s eternal quest to comprehend the abstract by investigating themes of human identity through an exploration of DNA and the epidemiological patterns of diseases. Through his work, van der Beugel endeavours to reconnect these esoteric concepts with the human experience. Van der Beugel’s work is featured in public and private collections around the globe, including Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. He currently resides in Devon.
