THE HAGUE — American artist Nathan Terborg will make his Dutch debut at Art The Hague, presented by Novus Arte at its own booth from 14 to 18 October. The fair marks both Terborg’s first presentation in the Netherlands and Novus Arte’s first participation at Art The Hague — a double debut that arrives at a moment when the fair’s theme, “Value,” could hardly be more fitting for the artist’s practice.
Novus Arte is an international art marketing agency that helps artists, brands and cultural organizations worldwide grow their visibility, strengthen their positioning and create new opportunities within the art world. Founded as an Instagram community to make contemporary art more accessible and engaging for a new generation of art lovers, the agency reached more than 8 million art lovers worldwide in 2025.
Terborg creates abstract, sculptural works from discarded and reclaimed materials. Through collecting, scavenging and, on occasion, dumpster diving, he repurposes objects that might otherwise be hidden, dismissed or thrown away. Crucially, he does not erase their past. Rather than sanding away the evidence, he incorporates the marks, scars and imperfections of these materials directly into the finished work.
His approach is closely tied to his own biography. Terborg’s journey from addiction to becoming an artist runs parallel to his work with discarded objects: the overlooked becomes the starting point for something new. The result is a practice that gives the question of what gives something value a deeply personal dimension.
“My work is driven by curiosity and a commitment to chasing wherever it leads,” Terborg explains. “I believe that anything that makes a mark is an art tool. I believe that anything that holds a mark is an art material. I am drawn to things that would otherwise be hidden, dismissed, or discarded. Through collecting, scavenging, and occasionally dumpster diving, I repurpose a variety of waste into my work. Material with a past life has its own story to tell. Their scars are a special kind of beautiful.”
For Novus Arte founder Jasha Berkenbosch, the resonance between Terborg’s work and this year’s theme was a decisive reason to bring him to The Hague. “Nathan’s work asks the same question the fair is asking this year, just in a more personal way,” she says. “His materials already carry histories before they become part of a work, and that makes the question of value particularly interesting. That’s exactly the kind of story we wanted to bring to Art The Hague.”
Free tickets are available on request for both the VIP day and the public days. Interested visitors and members of the press can contact Jasha Berkenbosch at info@novusarte.com to request tickets or arrange a press visit.
Fair Programme
Wednesday 14 October — 16:00 Preview; 17:00 Drinks; 18:15 Official opening by alderman Van Basten Batenburg; 22:00 Fair closes. Thursday 15 October — 12:30–14:00 Lunch, Kingstreet Internationals; 14:00 Fair opens; 16:00–20:00 Business Clubs; talks throughout the afternoon, including Philippien Noordam (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) on “Art as a calling card for the Netherlands” at 16:00, JM on “What determines value?” at 17:00, and Venduehuis on “The value of design” at 18:00; 20:00 Fair closes. Friday 16 October — 14:00 The Hague Contemporary Art Talent Tour; 16:00–17:00 “Estates”, led by Julia de Jong; 18:00–19:00 Art talk with Paul Beumer; 20:00 Fair closes. Saturday 17 October — From 17:00 to 20:00, Music & Art @ ArtCafe brings art and music together in a relaxed social setting. Open to all ticket holders, the evening offers an informal opportunity to experience the fair and Terborg’s work accompanied by live music. Sunday 18 October — 11:00 Fair opens; 18:00 Fair closes.
Photo credits: Novus Arte and https://www.nathanterborg.com/
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