Category: artists studios

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Marian Plug (1937): Master of Lithography and Oil Painting

Marian Plug (1937) has specialized in two techniques during her career as an artist: lithography and working with oil paint. In 1967, she was able to master the art of lithography thanks to a grant. The 1970s were then characterized by screen printing, a medium that she deemed fitting for the spirit of the time, where democracy was an important concept for her. With a larger edition, the price could be kept reasonable, giving a large part of the population the opportunity to own a piece of artwork. In her screen prints, every detail is equally important. According to her, interpretation is therefore not necessary.

In the 1980s, Plug outsourced the creation of graphic art and began making oil paintings. The landscape, with water, trees, and vistas, became a recurring theme. However, representing the landscape was not the primary objective for the artist. Her main goal was to entice the viewer. The theme of the landscape simply served as inspiration for the painting. Her artworks are created entirely in her studio; Plug does not use sketches or photos as a starting point. As such, she does not strive for an exact naturalistic representation. She prefers to use blues and greens in her color palette. Coarse and finer brushstrokes are used side by side. In terms of style, her artworks bridge the gap between figuration and abstraction.

The works of Marian Plug can be found in the collections of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden, and the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam.

www.ftn-books.com has several Plug books now available

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Chris de Bueger (1948)

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.

www.ftn-books.com has 3 de Bueger titles now available.

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Toon Verhoef (continued)

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).

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Gerard Garouste (continued)

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.

www.ftn-books.com has some nice Garouste titles available.

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Franz Ackermann (1963)

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.

www.ftn-books.com has the Stedelijk Museum catalog now available.

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David Inshaw (1943)

Renowned for his captivating and enigmatic paintings, British artist David Inshaw has been a household name since his breakthrough in 1973. It was then that his masterpiece, The Badminton Game, was showcased at the ICA Summer Studio exhibition in London, instantly garnering widespread recognition and praise. The painting was later acquired by the prestigious Tate Gallery, solidifying Inshaw’s place in the art world.

Over the years, Inshaw’s works from the 1970s, including The Raven, Our days were a joy and our paths through flowers, She did not turn, The Cricket Game, Presentiment, and The River Bank (Ophelia), have continued to captivate audiences and receive critical acclaim. Known for his distinctive blend of enigmatic complexity and linguistic dynamism, Inshaw’s unconventional use of language adds a layer of originality and intrigue to his compositions. His unique vocabulary, combined with his eloquent and professional tone, sets him apart from other artists and further elevates his status as a masterful wordsmith.

Through the use of linguistic recursion, vivid similes, and a steadfast devotion to crafting works that defy explanation, Inshaw’s art is a testament to the power and beauty of enigmatic complexity. Let his art speak for itself as you admire the perplexing and bursting images that he so skillfully creates.

www.ftn-books.com has the Brighton Inshaw title from 1978 now available.

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Antonio Saura (continued)

Antonio Saura (b. 1930 in Huesca, d. 1998 in Cuenca) was a Spanish artist known for his surrealist style. Drawing inspiration from the works of Arp and Tanguy, Saura developed a highly personal approach to his art. His initial experiments with pictorial invention resulted in numerous drawings and paintings featuring a dreamlike, surreal quality.

In the 1950s, Saura was associated with the Surrealist group. Later, he turned to the technique of grattage and, through his gestural style, found his way to a radically abstract, always colorful form of painting rooted in an organic, aleatoric conception.

Using formal, highly specific structural elements, he eventually created the first forms that would evolve into the archetypal model of the female body or the human head, themes that would come to define Saura’s work.

From 1957 to 1960, Saura led the artists’ group El Paso in Madrid. He had his first solo exhibition with Rodolphe Stadler in Paris, followed by shows with Otto van de Loo in Munich and Pierre Matisse in New York. Saura remained essentially independent from the artistic movements and trends of his generation, although his unique style can be seen in the spirit of Velázquez and Goya.

Starting in 1977, he also wrote and designed sets for theater, ballet, and opera. Saura’s work is featured in numerous public collections, including the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, the Folkwang Museum in Essen, and the Pinakothek der Moderne.

www.ftn-books.com has some great saura titles available.

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Imi Knoebel (continued)

Imi Knoebel’s minimalist hybrids of painting and sculpture explore relationships between color and structure. Knoebel’s nonrepresentational works innovate on the modernist ideas and styles of Joseph Beuys, Kasimir Malevich, and the Bauhaus; the artist is interested in seriality, spare geometries, reductive color, and the use of industrial materials such as Masonite. Knoebel studied under Beuys at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and under László Moholy-Nagy at the Werkkunstschule Darmstadt; he has exhibited in Berlin, New York, Paris, Zürich, Tokyo, London, Vienna, and Rome. His work belongs in the collections of the Essl Museum, the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, the Museo Reina Sofía, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Modern Art. While Knoebel is best known for his sculptural paintings, his practice also involves drawing, photographyI, projections, and installation. His work has sold for six figures at auction.

www.ftn-books.com has several Knoebel books available.

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Henk Peeters (continued)

Henk Peeters (1925 – 2013) is vooral bekend geworden als een van de vier leden van de Nederlandse Nul-beweging (samen met Armando, Jan Henderikse en Jan Schoonhoven) en als de internationale woordvoerder en organisator die de Nul-beweging (1960 – 1965) in contact bracht met de internationale kunstenaars overal ter wereld die zich verbonden met de van oorsprong Duitse Zero groep.

Unwavering in his dedication, Peeters tirelessly organized exhibitions in the 1960s that showcased international artists affiliated with the original German Zero group, including Yves Klein (France), Piero Manzoni (Italy), Jayoi Kusama (Japan), and the founding members from Germany. His own work remains highly sought after and is featured in numerous collections and museums. In addition to his artistic endeavors, Peeters was also a long-standing member of the Arnhem art academy.

www.ftn-books.com has a very special Peeters item now available.

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Henri Cartier Bresson (continued)

Henri Cartier-Bresson was born in Chanteloup, Seine-et-Marne in 1908 and from an early age, he was captivated by painting, specifically Surrealism. In 1932, after a year in the Ivory Coast, he came across the Leica camera, which became his go-to camera, and this sparked a lifelong passion for photography. In 1933, he held his debut exhibition at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York. Later on, he worked together with Jean Renoir on film projects.

In 1940, he was taken as a prisoner of war, but he managed to escape on his third attempt in 1943. He then joined an underground organization to help other prisoners and escapees. In 1945, he documented the Liberation of Paris with a group of skilled journalists and also directed the documentary Le Retour (The Return).

In 1947, Henri joined hands with Robert Capa, George Rodger, David “Chim” Seymour, and William Vandivert to establish Magnum Photos. He spent three years traveling around the East before returning to Europe in 1952, when he published his debut book, Images à la Sauvette (known as The Decisive Moment in English).

In his own words, Cartier-Bresson described his unique approach to photography as “a sketchbook, an instrument of spontaneity and intuition, the ruler of the moment which, in visual terms, poses questions and makes decisions simultaneously… It is through simplicity of expression that one achieves economy of means.”

From 1968 onwards, he began to reduce his involvement in photography, choosing to focus on painting and drawing instead. In 2003, together with his wife and daughter, he established the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson in Paris to preserve his body of work. Henri Cartier-Bresson received countless awards, honors, and honorary degrees throughout his lifetime. He passed away at his home in Provence on August 3, 2004, just a few weeks shy of his 96th birthday.

www.ftn-books.com has some of the most important Bresson titles available.