The visual artist Peter Bastiaanssen completed his studies at the St. Joost Academy in Breda in 1987. A black dog with beady eyes plays a central role in Bastiaanssen’s project Art is a Dog. This project, which evolves into an almost existential act, aims to challenge dogmas and communication systems within Western society, particularly within the art world. Through this project, the artist raises a question about art that requires endless contemplation without any discernible visual quality.
Bastiaanssen’s venture into this project raises a fundamental inquiry about the purpose and value of art, while also challenging widely accepted beliefs and frameworks within the art world. Perhaps, this project serves as a reminder to not always take things at face value, but rather to question, explore, and discover new perspectives. The black dog in the center of Bastiaanssen’s work serves as a symbol of this constant curiosity and challenge in the pursuit of artistic expression.
www.ftn-books.com has now the DOG TALK book by Bastiaanssen available.
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.
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.
http://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.
Artz pursued his studies from 1855 to 1864 at the renowned Rijksakademie of Amsterdam, studying under the tutelage of the esteemed Johannes Egenberger (1822–1897) and Louis Royer (1793–1868). It was during this time that he became acquainted with the ‘Haagse scholer’ Jozef Israëls, a painter who would greatly influence the early stages of Artz’s career. The two artists also collaborated extensively for a number of years, often venturing to the dunes of Scheveningen for inspiration. However, unlike the subdued and atmospheric style of Israëls, Artz focused on the sunny and lively aspects of the fishermen’s lives. His pen and ink drawings were more precise and his use of color was carefully orchestrated. He had a keen eye for detail, evident in the clothing of his figures. His color palette was relatively light in comparison.
From 1866 to 1874, Artz resided in Paris, studying under the renowned Gustave Courbet, who encouraged him to establish his own studio. During his time in Paris, he received financial support from the esteemed writer Johannes Kneppelhout. Violinist Jan de Graan also lived with him during this period, and Artz painted his portrait. He maintained close contact with his fellow Dutch artists Jacob Maris and Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer. Interestingly enough, during this time he mainly focused on “Dutch” genre paintings, often with a dark and somber atmosphere. He achieved considerable success during this period, selling numerous works through the well-known art dealership of Goupil & Cie. The renowned art dealer Theo van Gogh, brother of Vincent van Gogh, also had some of Artz’s works in his collection in Paris during the late 1880s[1]. It was during this time in Paris that Artz was exposed to the influences of japonisme and impressionism, although these would not be fully evident in his works until later in his career.
www.ftn-books.com has now the most imporatnt publication on Artz his career available.
Boris Nikitin, a Basel-born artist with roots in Ukraine, Slovakia, France, and Judaism, is a multifaceted force in the world of theatre. As a director, author, and curator of the biennial festival “It’s The Real Thing – Basel Documentary Platform,” Nikitin has spent over thirteen years exploring the complexities of identity and reality through his productions, texts, and happenings. His works defy categorization, blurring the line between illusion and performance, and challenging the boundaries of documentary and propaganda. Nikitin’s highly acclaimed pieces have traveled the globe, offering raw and unapologetic commentary while remaining meticulously crafted. “Boris Nikitin is a beacon of critical thought in contemporary theatre,” praises “Theater heute,” a leading professional journal in Germany. And according to “Tagesanzeiger,” a daily newspaper in Zurich, Nikitin is a force to be reckoned with in the world of documentary theatre, pushing its limits with unparalleled fervor.
www.ftn-books.com has the invitation card for his Tinguely project in Basel now available.
Delphine Reist (1970) presents a myriad of objects in her exhibits that come to life on their own: cars, tools, sinks transformed into fountains, office chairs, and flags that spin on their own axis. What is most striking, aside from this spontaneous movement, is that all these objects remain true to themselves. In her work, the shopping carts remain shopping carts, the oil remains oil, the drums are still drums, and so on. They are not representations of other objects, making it a form of concrete art.
Last year an exhibition was held at the Tinguely Museum, which invitattion card is now available at www.ftn-books.com
Ryszard Winiarski’s artistic ingenuity stems from his fusion of patterns gleaned from the sciences with the vocabulary of art. For him, the actual act of creation holds more significance than the final result, a concept he himself struggled to define.
Within his works, the sole mode of artistic communication exists in the form of black and white blocks, representing the mathematical counterparts of one and two. According to Winiarski, his paintings are mere happenstance, showcasing his status as a prime exponent of indeterminacy in Polish art.
www.ftn-books.com has now one of the very first publications on Winiarski available. It is the Kunstcentrum Badhuis publication in Mint condition.
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
