Bob Lens was a versatile artist proficient in various techniques. His oeuvre encompassed painting, graphic art, photography, video, project art, (interior) architecture, urban planning, portraits, and set design. In collaboration with Ray Staakman, he even developed kinetic objects, showcasing them at an international exhibition in London in 1964. In the 1970s, his paintings depicted themes from everyday life: realistic cityscapes, architecture, and such, in a visual language reminiscent of hyperrealism. But he also created series of stunning landscapes, foliage, and groupings of trees using brush and spray paint. In 1976, the artist exhibited such works at the Haags Gemeentemuseum (Haagse ateliers no. XXXIII), grouped under the term Figurative Abstraction by Philip Peters in the accompanying publication. Later on, Lens’ works showcased stricter compositions and more abstract forms. I recall his masks as two-dimensional spatial objects, at times so abstract in shape that it was a challenge to recognize a human face within them. He even made a video about them, a moving painting of masks following a set pattern. In 1988, the Franklin Furnace gallery in New York organized a mask exhibition called “Bags as Masks.”
Bob Lens had a passion for design. In 1965, he designed a pop art-style tie for the Book Ball, a colossal plaid with striking figures that made waves. After placing ads in Hitweek, he designed more models that sold like hotcakes for three riksen. Several (Hague) bands adorned themselves with his ties. And in passing, he also designed the colorful cover for Barry Hay’s first solo LP. He also created posters for MOJO events and the Haagse CPC Run.
www.ftn-books.com has several Lens publications available.
