Despite his efforts, Adolf Hölzel (1853-1934) managed to put Stuttgart on the map as a center for abstraction, serving as a counter to the figurative-expressive art hubs in Dresden, Berlin, and Munich. His students Oskar Schlemmer, Johannes Itten, and Willi Baumeister further disseminated his ideas through their works, which had a significant impact on art and its appreciation worldwide through the Bauhaus institute. In this book, the author vividly describes the life and work of this influential revolutionary in 20th-century art.
He was a pioneer and inspiration in all forms of artistic expression – from painting, drawing, and pastel work to stained-glass art, mural painting, and art theory. The book masterfully portrays his evolution as an artist with rich illustrations. Initially, Hölzel painted portraits and scenes of people at work in daily life and landscapes. However, after 1806, his contributions to the art community became increasingly abstract.
An essential characteristic of concrete poetry is that it is created using letters (words/phrases) in conjunction with the typographical space surrounding them. In contrast, visual poetry is a fusion of typography and graphics, with language elements supplemented by “externalinguistic” elements such as photos, drawings, objects, and actions. This shift towards materials used by poets took place earlier in the Netherlands – starting in 1968 with Hans Clavin – compared to many other countries.
Pier van Dijk and Robert Joseph (excerpt from “Actions 1979”) After 1975, the activities of most visual poets began to decline. An exception to this were the artist Robert Joseph and poet/artist Pier van Dijk, who, being more cautious in their poetic development, were equally active until the early 1980s. For them, poetry evolved into “total poetry”, a fusion of auditory and visual poetry.
Van Dijk has been writing poetry since 1961, painting since 1963, and creating and performing visual poems since 1971. He has referred to his work as “total art” since 1979. Joseph has been creating concrete poetry since 1966 and visual poetry since 1967. In 1971, the collection “Zie-po-eie (26 visual poems 1965-1970)” was released by De Tafelronde Antwerp (print run: 250). This collection consists of 23 concrete poems, two of which feature objects (first published in 1967 and 1969), and a photographic documentation of a “action poem”. In 1972, the publication “The visual triangle” was released, exploring the relationship between words, reality, and images in his poems. Joseph has referred to his work as total poetry since 1976: his aim is to encapsulate the “totality” of life.
www.ftn-books.com has npw the scarce Kunmstcentrum Badhuis catalog from 1980 available.
Evi Vingerling’s senses are ever-vigilant: whether strolling through the park, witnessing the soft orange hue emanating from a dark building in the early morning’s blue light, being surprised by shining lights among the blackened silhouette of trees in a foreign city, or gazing at the shadows of nature’s alpine formations from an airplane window. Even the distorted reality brought forth by the rippling and dazzling lights of moving water does not escape her attention. It is often the interplay of colors that captivates her. These wondrous observations all find their way back to her studio, inspiring Evi Vingerling to share these everyday instances of beauty with the world.
Throughout the history of aesthetics – from Aristotle to Rancière – there has been a prevailing belief that the individual and the universal intersect in art. However, Vingerling’s experiences are marked by a profound understanding that she is indeed an individual, but one that is intricately woven into the same world that encompasses us all. Essentially, we are all fragments of the here and now. For Evi Vingerling, this realization serves as an invitation to vividly capture her unique experiences. Her work is not driven by theories, but rather by unconventional motifs found in the raw immediacy of life. Opting to portray feelings of joy and possessing a gift of openness have been key elements in her artistic evolution.
A new aspect of recent works is that they have emerged organically on the canvas. In the past, she would record her experiences in notes or use photographs and drawings as reference. However, in her more recent works, these drawings serve as a starting point in a less literal sense, where she makes necessary decisions throughout the painting process. Vingerling relies on intuition, mirroring the approach of early American modernists and artists like Ad Reinhardt. Her work embodies a belief in the liveliness of our reality, drawing inspiration from her surroundings, as well as literature and theoretical texts.
Vingerling’s paintings exude a sense of fluidity and lightness, in contrast to the physical demands of her process that require intense mental focus. Time and time again, she starts from a single moment in everyday reality, driven by a longing for the greater whole. To capture this desire, she carefully prepares, using photographs or series of drawings as references, before diving into the canvas. The act of painting teeters on the edge, with a brush just full enough to prevent drips. This leaves little room for error, but the fluidity of the process allows for experimentation. The resulting technique remains transparent and comprehensible, creating an immediate connection with the viewer. It is through this openness that the images take on new meaning.
www.ftn-books.com has the Stedelijk MUseum Schiedam catalog now available.
Jeroen Olthof, born in 1958 in Steenbergen, Netherlands, was a student of Jan Sierhuis at the Vrije Academie in The Hague, where he graduated with a degree in Art education.
Since the early 1980s, he has exhibited his work in various galleries and museums both nationally and internationally, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany, and the United States. A study trip to the United States played a significant role in the development of his work, and Olthof participated in cultural debates at Harvard University.
Recipient of numerous awards, Olthof was also honored with a mention at the Europa Prize for Painting at the Museum of Modern Art in Ostend, Belgium. He has also received several public commissions.
In 2008, he was granted a residency at the Kunstfabrik ben Flutgraben in Berlin, and in 2010, at the Studio of the guest at ZIN in Vught, Netherlands.
His work is featured in many private and public collections. Jeroen Olthof currently resides and works in Dordrecht and Berlin.
Jorinde Voigt (b. in 1977 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany) lives and works in Berlin and Hamburg, Germany. She graduated from Katharina Sieverding’s master class at the UdK Universität der Künste, Berlin in 2004. Afterwards, from 2014 – 2019, she was professor of Conceptual Drawing and Painting at AdBK Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Munich, Germany. Since 2019, she is professor of Conceptual Drawing and Painting at HfBK Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg, Germany.
Jorinde Voigt’s drawings and sculptural works develop rigorous, idiosyncratic systems to depict how one’s inner world – such as personal experience, emotion, and memory – intersects with external conditions. She works in series that often refer to a specific theme, using as a starting point a particular text or idea. She develops notational systems of grids, line networks, and patterns that translate parameters such as distance, speed, or frequency into visual compositions. The exploration of music and musical notations has always played an important role in her work.
Selected solo exhibitions were on view at KÖNIG LONDON, London, UK (2022); Dirimart, Istanbul, Turkey (2022); Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany (2022); Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria (2020); BOZAR, Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium (2020); Horst Janssen-Museum, Oldenburg, Germany (2019); St. Matthäus Church, Berlin, Germany (2018); Kunsthalle Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany (2017); Hamburger Bahnhof Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin, Germany (2016); Kunsthalle Krems, Austria (2015); Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Rome, Italy (2014); and the Langen Foundation, Neuss, Germany (2013). She has contributed to several biennials including, most prominently, the Manifesta 11, Zurich (2016), the Biennale de Lyon (2017), and the Vienna Biennial for Change (2019). In addition to numerous nominations, she was most recently nominated for the Zurich Art Prize 2021.
Jorinde Voigt’s work is included in numerous collections, among them the Art Institute of Chicago, the Centre Pompidou, Paris, the Kunsthaus Zürich, the Morgan Library & Museum, New York, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung, Munich and the Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin.
www.ftn-books.com has the catalog she made together with Gregor Hildebrandt for het Bopmmel van Dam exhibition now available.
Gregor Hildebrandt’s signature mediums are cassette tape and vinyl, which he collages and assembles into seemingly minimal yet inherently romantic paintings, sculptures, and installations. Beneath the sleek surface of his analog aesthetics, which teeters on black and white monochrome, music and cinema permeate his practice. Whether depicted on canvas or sculpted into form, all of his pieces incorporate prerecorded materials, as referenced in their titles. These pop-cultural references, often a sole song, are intended to evoke both collective and personal memories. Similar to analog storage media, his distinct stripping technique serves as a metaphor for the mnemonic process itself: it involves rubbing magnetic coating against double-sided adhesive tape adhered to canvas, producing intricate and elusive powder-like patterns. Additionally, in correlation with architectural Gesamtkunstwerk, Hildebrandt’s vast sound barriers composed of stacked, bowl-shaped records and his alluring wall curtains constructed from unreeled tapes create a path for visitors to traverse during his exhibitions.
www.ftn-books.com has the duo exhibition catalog with Jorinde Voigt now available
Getulio Alviani was an exceptional Italian artist, renowned for his contributions to Programmed Art and Kinetic Art.
He underwent training in the studio of the revered sculptor Max Piccini before delving into the world of graphic and industrial design for an electrical equipment company. It is during this time that he delves deeper into the realm of visual communication, exploring everything from small control devices to transformable wall structures.
In the late 1950s, Alviani produced his first “light lines,” utilizing meticulously carved metal surfaces arranged in a modular fashion.
In 1962, he made a noteworthy appearance at the Programmed Art exhibition hosted by Olivetti in Venice, Rome, and Düsseldorf. He also joined the esteemed international movement ‘Nove Tendencije’ alongside the ‘Gruppo N’ of Padua, Enrico Castellani, and Piero Manzoni.
From the early 1960s onwards, Alviani’s light lines became an iconic and recognizable feature of his work. They served as prototypes of milled aluminum surfaces adorned with a pulsating texture that eventually became his unmistakable signature. These surfaces boasted transparency and kaleidoscopic effects, morphing based on the angle of incidence and light to create a wide range of captivating images.
Throughout the early 1960s, he actively participated in numerous group exhibitions across Europe, with a particular focus on Berlin, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Paris. In 1964, he even displayed his masterpieces at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs of the Louvre Museum during the exhibition ‘Nouvelle Tendance Recherches Continuelles’. This led to more international exhibitions in cities like the United States, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo.
During these formative years, Alviani cultivated meaningful connections with esteemed artists such as Josef Albers, Anni Albers, Max Bill, Hans Richter, Sonia Terk Delaunay, and Lucio Fontana.
www.ftn-books.com has the Kunstcentrum Badhuis publication on Alviani now available.
Nour-Eddine Jarram was born in Morocco, where he studied at the Ecole des beaux arts in Casablanca. In 1979, he came to the Netherlands where he pursued further education in Enschede. He currently resides and works in the surrounding area of Enschede. His paintings and watercolors are characterized by a unique blend of Old Dutch techniques and Islamic themes.
In an interview with Tubantia, he reflects, “I have brought with me the richness of my Eastern Islamic and Arabic-African background. Here I have become an artist, a father, and a grandfather. Here I am free. The umbilical cord may be getting thinner, but there will always be a connection to the Morocco of the 1970s. My earliest inspirations come from there.”
www.ftn-books.com has the ” DE ONTSLUIERING ” publication from 2005 available. A scarce book published in an edition of only 300 copies
Here is a text which i found on one of the exhibitions by Korsmit. It shows the way this artist thinks and creatyes.
A sheet is the ideal base for projecting our existence as an imagination of life. Between the sheets, we are conceived, on the sheet, we are born, we sleep underneath it, and wrapped in the sheet, we enter death. The sheet is also the linen, the canvas that the artist uses as a base, the carrier of their worldview. Alexander Korsmit approaches the sheet as a tracker, connecting the signs that he discovers with what he imagines, making connections on instinct. In automatic writing, he delves into the depth and range of the signals that people unconsciously emit, often unaware of their own meaning, which must be valued by the receiver. For Alexander Korsmit, drawing is a pointer. He quotes what he picks up and highlights what speaks to him, connecting his findings. Thus, the symbol functions between people in a meaning that is not universal but is understood in the mutual harmony between the artist and the viewer. The image undergoes a transformation between creation and decay. Alexander Korsmit stretches a sheet between birth and ultimate release, finding a path in the course of life.
Jean (Johannes-)Paul Vroom (The Hague 1922 – Amsterdam 2006) pursued the study of painting at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague from 1938 to 1939 before embarking to Paris. There, he attended the École Estienne from 1944 to 1946, honing his skills in various graphic techniques. Over the course of his life, he produced numerous engravings, etchings, lithographs, and silkscreen prints. Returning to the Netherlands in 1955, he started teaching at the Free Academy of George Lampe in The Hague. Influenced by Rein Draaier, he often chose landscapes as his subject matter – fields, plants, leaves, but also urban landscapes, such as those in the United States. His collaboration with Hans van Manen resulted in numerous costume and set designs for the Dutch Dance Theatre and the National Ballet, as well as portraits of dancers like Rachel Beaujean and Rudolf Nureyev.
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
