Fine Art

In William Van Beckum’s art practice and research he investigates how social media reflects an increasingly self-centered attitude towards the natural world. He often borrows Instagram images of famous landscape destinations and creates new compositions which dissect the ways in which humans view and value landscapes. These installations take on a variety of forms, but typically pay homage to the history of landscape art, while casting an often cynical perspective on the role of humans in the age of the anthropocene.

Van Beckum earned his MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University in 2017 and his BA from Emerson College in 2011. He has taught at Wellesley College, Emerson College, University of New Hampshire, the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, and is currently an art teacher at Sharon High School.

Van Beckum has exhibited work extensively in venues such as the Museum of Fine Arts, AREA Gallery, The Cyclorama at Boston Center for the Arts, and Adelson Gallery. In 2019 he exhibited a Solo Show of vernacular inspired photography at Gallery 263 which was reviewed by Boston Hassle and Clarion Magazine. In 2020 he was featured in a Boston Globe article about artist social media practices in the early days of the pandemic. In 2016 served as a resident artist for the Appalachian and New England Scenic Trail Systems. In 2019 he built a mobile community darkroom in collaboration with the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s 20th anniversary.

He has been recognized for achievements in photography by Medium Photo, and the Yousuf Karsh Prize in Photography. Van Beckum’s work is in numerous private collections as well as Google’s art collection.

Portraits & Wedding

In addition to fine art Will is also available for portrait sittings and weddings. Please visit his Wedding & Engagement and Portraiture pages for examples of work. A list of package pricing can be found here…