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home / simonbergerart.com / item 47112299
+0.02 Artist who "paints" portraits on glass by hitting it with a hammer (simonbergerart.com)
89 points by cs702 3 days ago | 35 comments on HN | Neutral Landing Page · v3.7 · 2026-02-26
Summary Cultural Expression & Access Acknowledges
Simon Berger's artist portfolio website demonstrates modest positive alignment with UDHR principles through free public access to contemporary glass art and support for artistic freedom of expression. The site enables cultural participation and artistic communication via social media integration, reflecting Article 19 (freedom of expression) and Article 27 (participation in cultural life). However, structural limitations including weak accessibility features, default data tracking without prominent consent, and JavaScript-heavy design create barriers for disabled users and undermine privacy protections under Articles 12 and 26.
Article Heatmap
Preamble: +0.05 — Preamble P Article 1: +0.05 — Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood 1 Article 2: -0.25 — Non-Discrimination 2 Article 3: 0.00 — Life, Liberty, Security 3 Article 4: 0.00 — No Slavery 4 Article 5: 0.00 — No Torture 5 Article 6: 0.00 — Legal Personhood 6 Article 7: 0.00 — Equality Before Law 7 Article 8: 0.00 — Right to Remedy 8 Article 9: 0.00 — No Arbitrary Detention 9 Article 10: 0.00 — Fair Hearing 10 Article 11: 0.00 — Presumption of Innocence 11 Article 12: -0.25 — Privacy 12 Article 13: +0.10 — Freedom of Movement 13 Article 14: +0.05 — Asylum 14 Article 15: 0.00 — Nationality 15 Article 16: 0.00 — Marriage & Family 16 Article 17: 0.00 — Property 17 Article 18: 0.00 — Freedom of Thought 18 Article 19: +0.21 — Freedom of Expression 19 Article 20: +0.10 — Assembly & Association 20 Article 21: 0.00 — Political Participation 21 Article 22: 0.00 — Social Security 22 Article 23: 0.00 — Work & Equal Pay 23 Article 24: 0.00 — Rest & Leisure 24 Article 25: 0.00 — Standard of Living 25 Article 26: -0.25 — Education 26 Article 27: +0.43 — Cultural Participation 27 Article 28: 0.00 — Social & International Order 28 Article 29: 0.00 — Duties to Community 29 Article 30: 0.00 — No Destruction of Rights 30
Negative Neutral Positive No Data
Aggregates
Weighted Mean +0.02 Unweighted Mean +0.01
Max +0.43 Article 27 Min -0.25 Article 2
Signal 31 No Data 0
Confidence 32% Volatility 0.12 (Low)
Negative 3 Channels E: 0.3 S: 0.7
SETL +0.16 Editorial-dominant
FW Ratio 56% 15 facts · 12 inferences
Evidence: High: 0 Medium: 3 Low: 7 No Data: 21
Theme Radar
Foundation Security Legal Privacy & Movement Personal Expression Economic & Social Cultural Order & Duties Foundation: -0.05 (3 articles) Security: 0.00 (3 articles) Legal: 0.00 (6 articles) Privacy & Movement: -0.02 (4 articles) Personal: 0.00 (3 articles) Expression: 0.10 (3 articles) Economic & Social: 0.00 (4 articles) Cultural: 0.09 (2 articles) Order & Duties: 0.00 (3 articles)
HN Discussion 8 top-level · 12 replies
antirez 2026-02-23 15:44 UTC link
Happy for him but this has no real artistic meaning compared to doing it in any other way. Odd to see things like that on HN.
ortusdux 2026-02-23 16:07 UTC link
Reminds me of the artist that shipped glass cubes via FedEx, letting the box throwers make the art for him.

https://museemagazine.com/features/2018/10/15/walead-beshty-...

simonhamp 2026-02-26 01:14 UTC link
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing
rustystump 2026-02-26 01:26 UTC link
While interesting, it doesnt feel like it belongs here. Maybe it is the volume these days but more and more the articles are turning into reddit posts.
kdheiwns 2026-02-26 02:29 UTC link
I've noticed that 2D artists/non-sculptors who engage in strange mediums or techniques generally only make realistic closeup portraits of people. I saw the headline, thought "neat, but I bet he just makes normal expressionless faces." Opened the page and it seems like that's the vast majority of his work. As an artist myself, I'm always like ehhhhh when I see this. Feels a bit like the kind of stuff you see for sale in tourist areas.

The technique is cool though.

downboots 2026-02-26 03:44 UTC link
Is it all it's cracked up to be?
RyanOD 2026-02-26 04:13 UTC link
Our world is full of creative, inspirational people. Bravo!
jama211 2026-02-26 04:20 UTC link
Ok that’s awesome
cs702 2026-02-23 15:54 UTC link
Hi, I submitted the OP because I found it cool and interesting, esp after seeing the clip of the artist creating a piece using only a hammer.

My only motivation for submitting the OP was thinking that others here would find it cool and interesting too.

That falls within the HN guidelines, don't you think?

bstsb 2026-02-23 15:57 UTC link
while i’m definitely a newcomer in HN terms, i love seeing things like this on the front page. it’s certainly interesting
AStrangeMorrow 2026-02-23 15:57 UTC link
I disagree quite a bit. For me the medium, the technique, the process is all part of the art. Yet I still think the end result is also critical. But coming up with create ways to produce art matters.

And I am confused about the “doing it any other way”? I don’t really see other ways to achieve the same result. Say painting and photography will both produce end results that are quite different. The skills are very different. The end material is also quite different. The same way stained glass is quite different from painting

bravoetch 2026-02-26 01:36 UTC link
HN waiting for the artist to announce on X that he's remaking all his works in rust.
hn_throwaway_99 2026-02-26 01:38 UTC link
This is Hacker News. I can't think of a better way of someone "hacking" something (i.e. using cracked glass in a novel way) to create something new, unexpected, and incredible.

I think this is probably the best idiomatic example of the type of story that I think belongs on HN that I've seen in quite some time.

cwillu 2026-02-26 02:27 UTC link
“Please don't post comments saying that HN is turning into Reddit. It's a semi-noob illusion, as old as the hills.”

--https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

> While interesting […]

“On-Topic: Anything that good hackers would find interesting” --also hnguidelines

maplethorpe 2026-02-26 02:29 UTC link
I agree. This artist, while technically interesting, has nothing to do with AI, and so has no place on the front page.
drsalt 2026-02-26 03:04 UTC link
sorry, this isn't "art" because it actually conveys information. art has to be useless.
d--b 2026-02-26 03:04 UTC link
yeah it’s definitely a genre in itself.

It’s like there are 2 axes: - cool technique and - cool picture. The second is way more important than the first, which is way painters are still on top of the 2D art world.

Some people can do both though. And i’d say even in these cases the art world tend to dismiss the weird technique as gimmicky.

rhplus 2026-02-26 03:05 UTC link
Perhaps they find more acceptance due to the effects of pareidolia, where the viewer is more inclined to say, “Oh yeah, I see it - that’s a face!”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia

amarant 2026-02-26 03:53 UTC link
If you can't tell the difference between oil on canvas and artistically shattered glass at a glance you might need... New glasses!
rippeltippel 2026-02-26 03:57 UTC link
Minecraft art
Editorial Channel
What the content says
+0.40
Article 27 Cultural Participation
Medium Advocacy Practice
Editorial
+0.40
SETL
+0.20

Website showcases contemporary glass art and sculpture, enabling artist to participate in cultural life and share creative output.

+0.30
Article 19 Freedom of Expression
Medium Advocacy Practice
Editorial
+0.30
SETL
+0.12

Portfolio explicitly presents artist's glass sculptures and creative works, representing freedom of artistic expression.

ND
Preamble Preamble
Low Practice

No explicit preamble-related content observed.

ND
Article 1 Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood
Low Practice

No explicit statement on equal dignity and rights.

ND
Article 2 Non-Discrimination
Low Practice

No non-discrimination statement observed.

ND
Article 3 Life, Liberty, Security
null

No content related to life, liberty, or personal security.

ND
Article 4 No Slavery
null

No slavery-related content.

ND
Article 5 No Torture
null

No torture or cruelty-related content.

ND
Article 6 Legal Personhood
null

No personhood or legal recognition content.

ND
Article 7 Equality Before Law
null

No equality before law content.

ND
Article 8 Right to Remedy
null

No legal remedy content.

ND
Article 9 No Arbitrary Detention
null

No arbitrary detention content.

ND
Article 10 Fair Hearing
null

No fair trial content.

ND
Article 11 Presumption of Innocence
null

No criminal justice content.

ND
Article 12 Privacy
Medium Practice

No explicit privacy statement.

ND
Article 13 Freedom of Movement
Low Practice

No restriction of movement stated.

ND
Article 14 Asylum
Low Practice

No asylum or refuge-related content.

ND
Article 15 Nationality
null

No nationality-related content.

ND
Article 16 Marriage & Family
null

No family or marriage content.

ND
Article 17 Property
null

No property rights content.

ND
Article 18 Freedom of Thought
null

No freedom of thought, conscience, or religion content.

ND
Article 20 Assembly & Association
Low Practice

No assembly or association content.

ND
Article 21 Political Participation
null

No political participation content.

ND
Article 22 Social Security
null

No social security or welfare content.

ND
Article 23 Work & Equal Pay
null

No labor rights or employment content.

ND
Article 24 Rest & Leisure
null

No rest or leisure content.

ND
Article 25 Standard of Living
null

No health or welfare content.

ND
Article 26 Education
Low Practice

No education content.

ND
Article 28 Social & International Order
null

No social and international order content.

ND
Article 29 Duties to Community
null

No duties or responsibilities content.

ND
Article 30 No Destruction of Rights
null

No limitation or abuse prevention content.
Structural Channel
What the site does
Domain Context Profile
Element Modifier Affects Note
Privacy —
No privacy policy link or statement visible in provided page content.
Terms of Service —
No terms of service visible in provided page content.
Accessibility -0.15
Article 2 Article 19 Article 26
Squarespace-hosted portfolio with heavy JavaScript dependency and minimal semantic HTML in provided snippet limits accessibility for users with disabilities.
Mission —
Artist portfolio; no explicit mission statement about human rights engagement.
Editorial Code —
Commercial artist website; no editorial code of conduct applicable.
Ownership —
Individual artist (Simon Berger) operates site; no corporate or institutional conflicts of interest evident.
Access Model +0.10
Article 19 Article 27
Free public access to portfolio content without paywall or geographic restriction supports open access to cultural expression.
Ad/Tracking -0.10
Article 12
Squarespace platform enables Facebook pixel tracking and analytics; cookie settings not fully transparent in snippet.
+0.30
Article 27 Cultural Participation
Medium Advocacy Practice
Structural
+0.30
Context Modifier
+0.10
SETL
+0.20

Free public access to artistic portfolio supports participation in cultural and scientific advancement; platform enables distribution of creative work.

+0.25
Article 19 Freedom of Expression
Medium Advocacy Practice
Structural
+0.25
Context Modifier
-0.05
SETL
+0.12

Public website enabling artist to distribute creative work globally; social media integration (Facebook, Instagram) allows direct communication with audience.

+0.10
Article 13 Freedom of Movement
Low Practice
Structural
+0.10
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Site is publicly accessible globally without geographic restrictions.

+0.10
Article 20 Assembly & Association
Low Practice
Structural
+0.10
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Website allows comments and social engagement features, supporting freedom of association.

+0.05
Preamble Preamble
Low Practice
Structural
+0.05
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Website provides public access to cultural expression without discrimination, supporting dignity and equal rights principles.

+0.05
Article 1 Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood
Low Practice
Structural
+0.05
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Open portfolio accessible to all visitors regardless of background; no discriminatory access barriers.

+0.05
Article 14 Asylum
Low Practice
Structural
+0.05
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Website accessible to all users regardless of national origin or asylum status.

0.00
Article 3 Life, Liberty, Security
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Standard artist portfolio does not engage with security or bodily integrity issues.

0.00
Article 4 No Slavery
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Commercial website does not engage in or promote forced labor.

0.00
Article 5 No Torture
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Standard portfolio site; no human rights abuse depicted.

0.00
Article 6 Legal Personhood
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Artist portfolio does not engage with legal personhood issues.

0.00
Article 7 Equality Before Law
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not address legal equality or justice.

0.00
Article 8 Right to Remedy
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not address judicial protection.

0.00
Article 9 No Arbitrary Detention
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not relate to detention or arrest.

0.00
Article 10 Fair Hearing
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not address judicial proceedings.

0.00
Article 11 Presumption of Innocence
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not engage with criminal law.

0.00
Article 15 Nationality
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not engage with citizenship or nationality issues.

0.00
Article 16 Marriage & Family
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Artist portfolio does not address family matters.

0.00
Article 17 Property
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not explicitly address property protection; site itself is digital asset of artist.

0.00
Article 18 Freedom of Thought
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not restrict or promote religious/ideological content.

0.00
Article 21 Political Participation
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Artist portfolio does not address voting or political governance.

0.00
Article 22 Social Security
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not address social services or economic support systems.

0.00
Article 23 Work & Equal Pay
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Artist portfolio; no employee relations or labor practices visible.

0.00
Article 24 Rest & Leisure
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not address work-life balance or leisure rights.

0.00
Article 25 Standard of Living
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not address healthcare or social welfare.

0.00
Article 28 Social & International Order
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not address systemic human rights frameworks.

0.00
Article 29 Duties to Community
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not explicitly address community obligations.

0.00
Article 30 No Destruction of Rights
null
Structural
0.00
Context Modifier
0.00
SETL
ND

Does not address rights limitations.

-0.10
Article 2 Non-Discrimination
Low Practice
Structural
-0.10
Context Modifier
-0.15
SETL
ND

Site lacks explicit accessibility features for disabled users; JavaScript-heavy design may exclude screen reader users.

-0.10
Article 26 Education
Low Practice
Structural
-0.10
Context Modifier
-0.15
SETL
ND

Website lacks accessibility features that would enable educational access for disabled users.

-0.15
Article 12 Privacy
Medium Practice
Structural
-0.15
Context Modifier
-0.10
SETL
ND

Squarespace platform integrates Facebook analytics and tracking; cookie settings indicate data collection is enabled by default without prominent opt-in consent.
Supplementary Signals
Epistemic Quality
0.41 low claims
Sources
0.3
Evidence
0.2
Uncertainty
0.5
Purpose
0.7
Propaganda Flags
0 techniques detected
Solution Orientation
0.60 solution oriented
Reader Agency
0.6
Emotional Tone
celebratory
Valence
+0.6
Arousal
0.4
Dominance
0.5
Stakeholder Voice
0.40 2 perspectives
Speaks: individuals
About: institution
Temporal Framing
present unspecified
Geographic Scope
global
Switzerland
Complexity
accessible low jargon none
Transparency
0.50
✓ Author
Event Timeline 20 events
2026-02-26 05:02 dlq Dead-lettered after 1 attempts: Artist who "paints" portraits on glass by hitting it with a hammer - -
2026-02-26 04:57 credit_exhausted Credit balance too low, retrying in 281s - -
2026-02-26 04:57 credit_exhausted Credit balance too low, retrying in 244s - -
2026-02-26 04:53 self_throttle Self-throttle: ramp-up guard: state 106s stale - -
2026-02-26 04:51 credit_exhausted Credit balance too low, retrying in 344s - -
2026-02-26 03:11 credit_exhausted Credit balance too low, retrying in 349s - -
2026-02-26 03:11 credit_exhausted Credit balance too low, retrying in 337s - -
2026-02-26 03:10 credit_exhausted Credit balance too low, retrying in 345s - -
2026-02-26 02:47 eval_success Evaluated: Neutral (0.02) - -
2026-02-26 02:31 dlq_replay DLQ message 348 replayed: Artist who "paints" portraits on glass by hitting it with a hammer - -
2026-02-26 01:54 dlq Dead-lettered after 1 attempts: Artist who "paints" portraits on glass by hitting it with a hammer - -
2026-02-26 01:54 dlq Dead-lettered after 1 attempts: Artist who "paints" portraits on glass by hitting it with a hammer - -
2026-02-26 01:16 eval_failure Evaluation failed: Error: Anthropic API error 400: {"type":"error","error":{"type":"invalid_request_error","message":"Your credit balance is too low to access the Anthropic API. Please go to Plans & Billing to upgrade o - -
2026-02-26 01:16 eval_failure Evaluation failed: Error: Anthropic API error 400: {"type":"error","error":{"type":"invalid_request_error","message":"Your credit balance is too low to access the Anthropic API. Please go to Plans & Billing to upgrade o - -
2026-02-26 01:16 eval_retry Anthropic API error 400 - -
2026-02-26 01:16 eval_retry Anthropic API error 400 - -
2026-02-26 01:11 eval_retry Anthropic API error 400 - -
2026-02-26 01:11 eval_failure Evaluation failed: Error: Anthropic API error 400: {"type":"error","error":{"type":"invalid_request_error","message":"Your credit balance is too low to access the Anthropic API. Please go to Plans & Billing to upgrade o - -
2026-02-26 01:11 eval_retry Anthropic API error 400 - -
2026-02-26 01:11 eval_failure Evaluation failed: Error: Anthropic API error 400: {"type":"error","error":{"type":"invalid_request_error","message":"Your credit balance is too low to access the Anthropic API. Please go to Plans & Billing to upgrade o - -
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build 59cf82e+tpso · deployed 2026-02-26 02:38 UTC · evaluated 2026-02-26 04:51:33 UTC