Jochen Gerz, a transcendent artist, defies simplistic categorization. His creations blur the boundaries between art, recollection, the past, and communal involvement. Throughout his extensive lifespan as an artist, Gerz has consistently deviated from conventional art forms, choosing to interact with individuals, societies, and public domains instead. His undertakings push the limits of distinction between the artist, the beholder, and the participant, compelling us to reevaluate not just the definition of art, but its intended audience and its potential to transform us. Join us as we delve into the profundity of Gerz’s work and comprehend why it remains profoundly pertinent in the present day and age.
Residing and working in Amsterdam, the mortal artist Chris de Bueger (born 1948) completed his education at Gerrit Rietveld Academie between the years 1966 to 1970, where he specialized in the intricate crafts of painting and graphics. After his studies, De Bueger embarked on an extended journey to Morocco, where he first began to create works reminiscent of the New Figuration movement, often depicting still lifes with unorthodox compositions. In later years, his creations took on a more abstract form – characterized by dynamic patterns of spots, stripes, and beams – but in recent times, De Bueger has returned to crafting unmistakable figures and animals using his signature, delicate lines. For many years, De Bueger served as a professor at A.K.I. (now Artez) in Enschede and the esteemed Rijksacademie in Amsterdam. His masterpieces have been acquired by numerous collections, including the illustrious Guggenheim Museum in New York.
Claus Wickrath, a Berlin-based photographer and visual artist native to Germany, has gained recognition for his innovative and unconventional approach to photography. He seamlessly blends elements of nature, architecture, and the human body to create masterpieces that challenge traditional notions of art.
Born in the bustling city of Berlin in 1971, Claus developed a passion for photography and the arts at a young age. He honed his skills at the esteemed University of Applied Sciences in Bielefeld, Germany, where he earned a degree in both photography and media design. After graduating, he embarked on a career as a freelance photographer before eventually establishing his own studio in his beloved city of Berlin.
Claus’s work has garnered widespread acclaim and has been featured in prestigious publications such as Vogue Italia, GQ Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, and The Guardian. His photographs have also been exhibited in renowned galleries across the globe, including the illustrious Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City and the prestigious Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Renowned for his unique fusion of elements from nature, architecture, and the human form, Claus often employs long exposure techniques to capture luminescent light trails and create surreal compositions that blur the boundaries between what is real and what is dreamlike. His adept use of light and color in his images evoke an otherworldly atmosphere, often described as ethereal and dreamlike.
Claus continues to push the boundaries of photography through experimentation with new techniques and mediums, including digital manipulation and 3D printing. His work is widely hailed for its imaginative and pioneering nature, cementing his status as one of the most sought-after photographers in the industry today.
Born in 1957, Lise Malinovsky received her education first at the School of Applied Arts and then at the Academy of Fine Arts. As early as 1982, while still a student at the Academy, she made her mark with her virtuosic pastiches at Charlottenborg’s Spring Exhibition. Here, she showcased her grounding in both fauvism and art history dating back to the Baroque period. While her works were not as wild as those of her contemporaries, there is – and still is to this day – a vibrant vitality and expressiveness in her spontaneous expression, especially through her bold colors and gestural brushstrokes. Lise Malinovsky’s artistic language is sensual and tactile, and while she has a clear message for the viewer, the subject is subordinate to her urge to express herself through painting. She has created a wide range of decorations and has also painted portraits, including that of former Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. Lise Malinovsky resides and works in both Denmark and Spain, constantly infusing her art with enigmatic complexity and linguistic dynamism that captivates viewers.
www.ftn-books.com has now the Willy Scvhoots publication on Malinovsky available.
Born in Voorburg in 1946, Toon Verhoef is a renowned painter. Prior to the creation of each painting, Verhoef undertakes studies on paper. These studies are not literal drawings, but rather collages incorporating elements of paint, paper, packaging materials, and dried remnants of paint.
From these series of images, Verhoef distills the elements that he deems fit for his paintings. These elements often include a specific use of color or a certain composition. As Verhoef explains, “Unmatched, unsteady images that need to remain standing in the painting in some way or another. The unmatched must match.”
One could consider Verhoef’s paintings to be abstract. As a viewer, the images are not clearly derived from reality. However, Verhoef’s work has a connection to reality in the sense that it draws from the origin of the images he uses – a newspaper photo, a packaging material. Although Verhoef transforms these images and renders them unrecognizable, something of their source still lingers in the painting.
Verhoef’s paintings are characterized by strong contrasts of color, forms and lines that dance across the canvas. He alternates between organic shapes and geometric lines, transparent forms and opaque areas. His vocabulary is playful, exploratory, and dynamic. As Verhoef says, “Each painting asks the viewer – what exactly are you looking at, how are you looking, and what do you see? […] It must work immediately. It has to work. […] It’s about accuracy. That’s how it should be.”
Verhoef studied at the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam (1965-1966) and pursued a degree in art history at the University of South Africa in Johannesburg (1966-1968). He continued his studies at the Ateliers (1968-1970). Verhoef’s work has been exhibited at renowned institutions such as the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, De Pont (Tilburg), Kunstmuseum Bonn, and the Bonnefantenmuseum (Maastricht).
Gérard Garouste, a well-renowned French artisan, is most celebrated for his theatrical paintings and lithographs that delve into themes of global history and culture. His creations, influenced by both traditional and contemporary artists, combine surrealistic imagery with allusions to classic mythologies and Christian beliefs. Born in Paris, France on March 10, 1946, Garouste received his education at the École des Beaux-Arts and the atelier of Gustave Singier, where he collaborated with the legendary Marcel Duchamp. In 1980, he relocated to New York, showcasing his artwork at the prestigious Holly Solomen Gallery and Leo Castelli gallery. During this era, Garouste traveled extensively, fulfilling commissioned pieces for the Royal Theater in Namur, Belgium, the Notre-Dame Church in Talant, France, and the Élysée Palace in Paris. After establishing himself as a renowned figure in the art world, Garouste established La Source, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing art education to underprivileged children through open workshops and regular classes. In 2015, the French government awarded the artist the esteemed Legion of Honor for his philanthropic efforts and his significant impact on the art world. Presently, Garouste resides and creates in Marcilly-sur-Eure, Normandy, France, with his works being featured in renowned collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Fine Arts Museum of Caen, and the Santa Monica Museum of Art.
Visual artist Gillis of Oosten (1916–2005) spent most of his life in Delft, his birthplace. In the 1950s, he lived and worked on the French Mediterranean coast, including in Cannes and Menton. A large portion of his work went to Museum Prinsenhof Delft, some went to family, and now some is also on the market. Museum Prinsenhof Delft has included a representative cross-section of one hundred works by Van Oosten in its collection, aligning with the pillar of “Delft masters” at the museum.
Gillis of Oosten experimented with various techniques and media during his career, from paintings and drawings to silkscreens and perspex reliefs. His objects display different artistic movements. His work ranges from realistic landscapes and self-portraits to abstract splatter drawings with Indian ink. In the past, Museum Prinsenhof Delft has held several exhibitions on Van Oosten’s work. Soon, a small selection of his work (including “Harbor of Cannes” from 1954, see photo) will be on permanent display in the tower room of the old city hall on the market square.
As a curator, Sandberg held a deep admiration for Matisse as an artist, and it can be assumed that Sandberg, as an artist himself, must have drawn inspiration from the older master. This is evident in Sandberg’s famous paper cuttings, which were created during a period when he was battling an illness. Matisse himself referred to this technique as “painting with scissors.” Could it be possible that Matisse’s cut-outs were the source of inspiration for Sandberg’s use of modeled torn papers in his book designs? These torn pieces of paper, combined with carefully crafted layouts, resulted in highly personal and iconic publications by Sandberg. While there are certainly differences between the two artists’ works, they both existed during the same artistic period, making it plausible that Matisse’s technique influenced Sandberg’s use of paper.
However, the survival of these two types of artworks has been vastly different. Sandberg’s paper publications, printed on paper, have easily lasted for 50 years or more. On the other hand, Matisse’s fragile cut-outs require restoration in order to preserve them for future generations. In the past 10 years, two significant restoration projects have been undertaken. One of these projects was the restoration of Matisse’s large cut-out composition “La Perruche et la Sirène,” from the collection of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. The other was a project at the Beyeler Museum, in which visitors were able to witness the progress of restoring a large canvas titled “Acanthes.” These restored works are now on display at their respective museums, showcasing the true splendor of Matisse’s art.
These accomplishments serve as a testament to why Matisse is widely regarded as one of the greatest artists of the last century. To learn more about these two remarkable artists, visit www.ftn-books.com for a selection of publications. www.ftn-books.com recently added the Picasso Matisse publication from the Stedelijk MUseum to its collection
Hailing from the year 1963 in Germany, Franz Ackermann currently resides and operates within the bustling cities of Berlin and Miami. His creative pursuits are fueled by the concept of travel as an immersive encounter, coupled with themes of displacement and observation. Through his vibrant and dynamic works, Ackermann skillfully interweaves bursts of saturated colors with layers of overlapping forms, which seamlessly meld with fragments of imagery captured from the multifaceted and ever-changing urban landscape. Delving deeper into the complexities of globalization and the impact of tourism on our society, Ackermann’s artistic explorations continue to evolve and captivate audiences worldwide.
About a month ago i took a small stack of books published in the late 40″s/50′ and was struck by the classic beauty of these designs. Timeless and still contemporary. From Left to right:
Artist/ Author: Oliver Boberg
Title : Memorial
Publisher: Oliver Boberg
Measurements: Frame measures 51 x 42 cm. original C print is 35 x 25 cm.
Condition: mint
signed by Oliver Boberg in pen and numbered 14/20 from an edition of 20
