Herman van Bergen on The Social Challenge Podcast
This interview has been made possible by The New Public
In this inspiring episode, Herman opens up about his personal and artistic journey from his childhood in Nijmegen, where chronic illness shaped his early life, to discovering the thorny sumpiña bushes during walks in Curaçao. What began as a symbol of hardship eventually became the foundation for the Cathedral of Thorns, a monumental labyrinth of thorns honoring Mother Nature and the Free Spirit.
Herman shares how the Cathedral was built rising 10 meters high and covering over 400 square meters and how it became a collaborative effort involving the local community. He speaks about the deeper purpose of the project: to express humanity’s power to transform, connect, and co-create.
This podcast is a beautiful reflection on the role of imagination, perseverance, and creativity in driving societal change.
You’ll also hear about the prestigious 2022 Innovator in Arts Award Herman received from the International Sculpture Center in New York.
The episode is in Dutch, but we highly recommend listening to the full conversation on Spotify for a deeper understanding of the heart and vision behind the Cathedral.
