Bert van Zelm (1955, Amsterdam) was a student at the Rietveld Academy (Amsterdam) until June 1980. The last two years of his studies, he also took courses model painting at the State Academy of the Netherlands. He was given a scholarship at the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno at Florence, where he stayed for three years. His first solo exhibition was in Bari, Italy in 1983, concluding his Italian sojourn.

Between December 1991 and March 1993 Bert van Zelm lived and worked in New York, United States of America. 

From December 1999 till 2021 Bert van Zelm lived in Barcelona, Spain.

He moved back to the Netherlands, lived in utrecht till April 2023.

Now he lives in Barcelona, Spain.

Important recent projects to be mentioned:

Portrait of the actor Brian Cox, London-United Kingdom, 2015

Portrait commission Antoni Castells for the Catalan government, Barcelona-Spain, 2013

Paintings and sketches for the tv film ‘Barcelona ciutat neutral’ for TVE3 (Catalan tv, Spain), 2010.

Art works for the church Gesù Redentore, Modena-Italy, 2008.

Portrait commission ‘4 Dutch Queens’ for Provinciale Staten Utrecht-Netherlands, 2005.

Portrait commission ‘Fransesc Noy’ for the University ‘Pompeo Fabra’, Barcelona-Spain, 2004.

Series of Portraits for the Towers Emirates Hotel in Dubai-United Arab Emirates, 2000.