Jon Øivind Hoem

Jon Øivind Hoem is Professor at the Department of Art, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) in Bergen, where he leads the Materiality, Technology and Sustainability (MaTecSus) research group. His practice-based research bridges digital media with physical materials through spatial installations, with significant focus on art and crafts education. Contactable via +47 55 58 57 12, he actively teaches Master's level courses including MGUKH550 (Master's thesis supervision) and serves as course responsible for MGUKH503 (Aesthetics in Practice and Theory).

Hoem's research centers on material-digital hybridity, exploring how AI and sensor technologies can enhance traditional craft practices while addressing sustainability. Current projects include AI-teach (developing teacher educators' AI competence), Sonic Greenhouse (a solar-powered digital acoustic instrument using reclaimed materials), and Zosimos (a telematic opera connecting performers across networks). His work consistently examines how technology mediates human-material relationships in creative processes, with strong emphasis on environmental responsibility and collaborative knowledge production.

His 2024 publications reveal a cohesive trajectory in spatial-digital art forms, moving from individual installations (Shadows of an Icebound Dream) toward collective, networked practices (Kollektiv estetikk, Zosimos). This evolution demonstrates increasing focus on distributed creation, where artworks exist as evolving systems rather than fixed objects – particularly evident in locative sound works like Sonus that transform urban spaces into participatory instruments.

Hoem's recognition as a Merited Teacher (2025) highlights his innovative pedagogy, where students co-develop tools like the AI-teach platform. This award reflects his commitment to making emerging technologies accessible within art education frameworks.

As supervisor, Hoem maintains active mentorship through Master's thesis guidance and project-based learning in MaTecSus. His current grants provide students with specialized resources for digital fabrication and networked performance, while collaborations with Lydgalleriet and BIT20 Ensemble offer professional exhibition pathways. The research group functions as an open studio where technical experimentation serves artistic inquiry rather than vice versa.

The MaTecSus lab operates as a material innovation hub, featuring workshops for physical computing, sound engineering, and sustainable material processing. Its 'open prototype' philosophy encourages sharing of experimental setups like the modular Sonic Greenhouse components, fostering cross-project pollination where solutions from one installation (e.g., sensor networks for Pappelonia) inform others (Zosimos' telematic systems).