South African-born Henrik J. Klijn has been writing since childhood when his mother handed him a stack of notebooks to fill with his stories. Years later, she admitted it had more to do with keeping him quiet "because everyone needs a break, now and then." After completing studies in musicology at Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand and Stellenbosch University, Henrik pivoted back to creative and writing while working in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
As Creative Director (Copy), Henrik delivered concept, strategy, and creative for luxury and lifestyle brands as diverse as Levi's, DKNY, and Emporio Armani while also working on high-profile campaigns for real estate, petroleum, food and beverage, as well as pharma brands. As a writer, he has contributed to various outlets, including Sourced Fact Media, Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, The Big Issue, and considerable Afrikaans—his home language—publications.
Currently, Henrik is pursuing a Master's in Journalism and Sociocultural Anthropology at Harvard. He is authoring a pre-doctoral dissertation on the |xam people of South Africa and the role of storytelling—told in resignation at their imminent extinction at the end of the 19th Century—as oral history and collective memory.
In his spare time, he attends music events, ranging from classical to jazz and electronica. Henrik is an avid cook and a voracious reader who tries never to complain about Chicago winters, a city he has called home since 2017.
