The reason to write again on Jan Montyn is because recently i added to my inventory the ultimate book on Montyn his prints. This book is now available at www.ftn-books.com
My first-ever encounter with the works of Jan Montyn was in the early seventies. It was then that I acquired my very own beautiful etching by the renowned artist – a mesmerizing depiction of a blue bird, set against a typical Montyn background. The artwork was relatively large in size, and I proudly displayed it on my wall for over ten years before replacing it with a photograph by Lucien Clergue.
Despite being in a drawer for the past three decades, my fondness for this etching has not diminished. This holds true for all other Montyn etchings I have come across. They possess a dreamlike quality that effortlessly blends realism with abstract elements, all executed with impeccable technique.
It wasn’t until years after acquiring the etching that I stumbled upon Jan Montyn’s autobiography, which shed light on his early years. The artist had an eventful life, spending time in the Foreign Legion, surviving a shipwreck as a sailor in the Kriegsmarine, and even fighting in the Eastern Front near Koerlandand. He was a colorful character who may not have always made the best political choices, but his art continues to stand out and deserves to be admired without bias.
For an excellent read on the artist’s life and work, I recommend the title published on the occasion of his 75th birthday in 1999, available at www.ftn-books.com. Embrace the enigmatic complexity and linguistic dynamism of Montyn’s art, and revel in the unique vocabulary he employs to bring his visions to life. Trust me, it’s worth it.
During the exhibition “Nothing is Enough,” a photo taken at a Tokyo station in 1999 was partially enlarged and hung on the wall above the basement, in order to connect Heden’s ground floor with the underground space. Ta. Photographs were exhibited on the first floor, and sketches were exhibited downstairs. In fact, it’s too detailed to be an icon, but it’s common in Japan. Everything has a soul. I was shocked because I wasn’t just looking at a sign or a message, I was also looking at a story. Current | 2012 | Exhibition | This is M. Martin Engelbregt
In the summer of 2012, I exhibited with Martijn Engelbregt at Heden in The Hague. The starting point for the exhibition was to open the archives to the public. For Martijn, this affected his entire archive, and for me, my collection of photographs and ideas. The title of the exhibition is “Nothing is Enough”. The text and design were given a second life during Martijn’s project for Utopisch Nest in Leiden.
Henk van den Bosch (1960) intricately incorporates the element of time within his works. To fully comprehend the creation, one must take their time and ponder – is it a window, a mirror, a painting within a painting, or another space that the piece reflects?
Judith van Meeuwen, curator at KAdE art hall, refers to this technique as “slow-looking.” Along with this direct encounter with time, references to seasons and the atmosphere of the 1950s also play a significant role. Van den Bosch’s paintings often depict vast interiors with a glimpse into an adjoining space. Be it through a window, a doorway, a staircase, or even the outdoors, the viewer is invited to wander through the composition, losing track of time.
In 1956, the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London unveiled the exhibition “This is Tomorrow,” which became the legendary starting point of British pop art. The entrance to the exhibition was marked by a large reproduction of a small collage by Richard Hamilton, which would later become an iconic symbol of British pop art.
The collage, aptly titled “Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing?” was composed of magazine and advertisement clippings, arranged within a perspective space resembling a living room. In the center of the room stands a bodybuilder, while a pin-up model poses on the couch – the epitome of the modern couple in the language of advertising. Surrounding them are symbols of modern life, such as a television, tape recorder, vacuum cleaner, and a pulp comic strip serving as a modern painting on the wall. The window grants a glimpse of the bustling urban nightlife.
With just one glance, it is evident that the living room represents the essence of modern life in 1956.
At first glance, it is evident that the living room serves as a model for the modern life of 1956. Upon closer examination, Hamilton made use of other current images as well. It appears that the living room is composed of macro-shots of water, the moon’s surface, and a crowded summer beach, which respectively form the floor, ceiling, and rug. Thus, the spatial dimensions of the room are of a completely different order, a macrocosm in which modern life unfolds as a microcosm. It is precisely this relationship that made Hamilton’s Just What Is It… the icon of the modern future: tomorrow begins today.
www.ftn-books.com has the TRANSPOSITION book by van den Bosch now available.
A distinguished mind in the realm of artistry, Lyonel Charles Feininger (July 17, 1871 – January 13, 1956) stands as an exemplary figure of Expressionism. In addition to his prowess as a painter, he also flourished as a caricaturist and comic strip artist. Although born and raised in the bustling metropolis of New York City, Feininger’s passion for perfecting his craft led him to Germany at the tender age of 16. There, he delved into the nuances of art and honed his skills.
Initially embarking on his artistic journey as a cartoonist in 1894, Feininger quickly garnered recognition and acclaim in this field. For two decades, he majestically juggled the roles of a commercial caricaturist, producing stunning works for magazines and newspapers in both the USA and Germany. However, at the age of 36, he shifted his focus to fine artistry.
Aside from his renowned paintings, Feininger also left behind a significant body of photographic works, created between 1928 and the mid 1950s. However, these remarkable pieces of art were kept within his circle of friends. As a man of many talents, he was also an adept pianist and composer, leaving behind several compositions and fugues for the organ.
Born to German-American parents, renowned violinist and composer Karl Feininger and talented singer Elizabeth Feininger, Lyonel Feininger inherited a rich artistic background. However, it was not until 1887, at the age of 16, when he traveled to Germany to broaden his artistic horizons. In Berlin, he studied under the tutelage of Ernst Hancke at the prestigious Königliche Akademie. He continued his studies in art schools in Berlin with Carl Schlabitz and in Paris with renowned sculptor, Filippo Colarossi.
Feininger’s exceptional talent as a caricaturist was recognized and showcased at various exhibitions, including the prestigious Berlin Secession, from 1901 to 1903. His drawings were lauded and admired by fellow artists and art enthusiasts alike.
Moreover, Feininger’s personal life was also intriguing. In 1900, he met the talented Clara Fürst, daughter of painter Gustav Fürst. The two tied the knot in 1901 and welcomed two daughters into their lives. However, in 1905, Feininger’s life took a turn when he met Julia Berg. He divorced Fürst and married Berg in 1908, and they were blessed with three sons.
In conclusion, Lyonel Feininger’s legacy as a versatile and gifted artist continues to captivate the masses. From his unforgettable paintings to his captivating caricatures, he remains a source of inspiration for artists across the globe.
The journey of Feininger’s career as a cartoonist commenced in 1894, with his contributions to numerous renowned magazines in Germany, France, and America. In February 1906, as a quarter of Chicago’s population was of German descent, James Keeley, editor of The Chicago Tribune, traveled to Germany in search of the most popular humor artists. Feininger caught his eye and was recruited to illustrate two comic strips, “The Kin-der-Kids” and “Wee Willie Winkie’s World,” for the publication. These strips were praised for their whimsical humor and innovative graphics, setting Feininger apart. He also dedicated 20 years to being a commercial caricaturist, creating works for various newspapers and magazines in both the United States and Germany. Years later, Art Spiegelman acknowledged in The New York Times Book Review that Feininger’s comics possessed a breathtaking formal elegance never before seen in the medium.
At the age of 36, Feininger embarked on a career as a fine artist. He joined the Berliner Sezession in 1909 and was associated with several German expressionist groups, such as Die Brücke, the Novembergruppe, Gruppe 1919, the Blaue Reiter circle, and Die Blaue Vier (The Blue Four). In 1917, Feininger held his first solo exhibition at the Sturm Gallery in Berlin. When Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus in Germany in 1919, Feininger was among his first faculty appointments and was appointed the master artist in charge of the printmaking workshop.
Weems received training in both dance and photography prior to enrolling at the University of California, Berkeley, in the mid-1980s to study folklore. It was during this time that she developed an interest in the observation methods used in the social sciences. In the early 1990s, Weems began incorporating her own persona into her photographic compositions in an intentional effort to evoke a sense of both being within and viewing from outside the work. She has since referred to this recurring figure as an “alter-ego,” a “muse,” and a “witness to history,” representing both the artist and the audience. “As a Black woman, it is crucial that she is engaged with the world around her,” Weems explained, “engaged with history, with seeing, with existing. She is a guide into rarely seen circumstances.”
Using her own image, Weems explores a wide range of topics in her 1990 Kitchen Table Series, which consists of 20 gelatin silver prints and 14 texts on silkscreen panels. She comments on “woman’s subjectivity, woman’s ability to celebrate her body, and the woman’s construction of herself and her own image.” Throughout the series, Weems, or rather her protagonist, is depicted in the same intimate domestic interior. The photographs feature a wooden table illuminated by an overhead light, and include scenes such as Untitled (Man smoking) and Untitled (Woman and Daughter with Makeup), in which the protagonist interacts with a variety of characters (friends, children, lovers) and objects (posters, books, playing cards, and a birdcage). In Untitled (Woman and Daughter with Makeup), for example, the woman and a young girl sit at the table, gazing into mirrors as they apply lipstick in parallel motions. The photograph highlights the notion that gender is a learned behavior, while also centering its Black female subjects with tenderness.
www.ftn-books.com has currently several titles on Weems available en highly recommend her Basel exhibition which is currently on show.
Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis was a Lithuanian virtuoso painter and composer. The inhabitants of Lithuania hold him in high esteem as their greatest musical prodigy, despite his absence during the resurgence of Lithuania as an independent state. In Čiurlionis’ era, Lithuania was a constituent of the Tsardom of Russia.
During his brief existence, Čiurlionis composed approximately 300 musical compositions, and crafted just as many paintings. The planetary body 2420 Čiurlionis was christened in his honor. Similarly, a mountain in the Pamir region and a rock formation in Franz Josef Land in the Arctic Ocean bear his illustrious name.
In the year 1997, the renowned Rijksmuseum expanded its collection to include additional photographs from Cary Markerink and Theo Baart in their series “The Highway,” offering a glimpse into the asphalt-covered landscape of the Netherlands. www.ftn-books.com has a reprint of a small sketch book now available.
Spent the initial dozen years of life traversing Indonesia, the Netherlands, and Germany before eventually settling in the Netherlands.
Nurtured a passion for painting, writing, film, and photography since an early age.
Enrolled in art school in the late 1970s with the intention of pursuing a career as a painter, but ultimately discovered a love for photography and changed course.
Initially gained recognition for the project Stadsstillevens (City-stills), which showcased candid street scenes of Amsterdam in a realistic style, defying the prevalent trend of social photography at the time in the Netherlands.
Co-founded Fragment Publishers with a group of friends, with the aim of reviving the dying tradition of high-quality photo-books in the Netherlands. Notable publications include works by Ed van der Elsken, Cas Oorthuys, Johan van der Keuken, Hans Aarsman, Henze Boekhout, Willem Diepraam, and Wout Berger, carefully collaborating with top-notch designers, writers, and printing companies of the era.
Frequently journeyed to the Caribbean between the years of 1976 and 1981, getting involved in the struggle for land rights of the native Arawak and Carib peoples of Surinam.
Studied at St. Joost Academy in Breda and at Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. As a photojournalist, he works for a large number of daily and weekly newspapers, creating various reports in Suriname.
For architects Lucien Lafour and Theo Bosch, he photographs various projects. He is the founder of publishing company Fragment and was an editor for the photography magazine ‘Plaatwerk’.
As an architectural photographer, Markerink is disappointed by the lack of interest in a building in action. Every moment of the day (cold or warm, day or night, rain or sun) shows a different use of architecture, also demonstrating whether the architect has thought about these things carefully.
In 1997, the Rijksmuseum acquired extra photos from Cary Markerink and Theo Baart from the series ‘The Highway’, a look at asphalted Netherlands.
www.ftn-books.com has the Slewe publication which was designed by Irma Boom now available.
Eva Lansink, a young contemporary artist based in Leiden, Netherlands. Specializing in sculpting, graphic art, and photography, her graduate project, DRIFT, consisted of a series of sculptures and etchings, as well as an art book. This collection tells the story of an anthropomorphic world of rabbits who unabashedly live out their fantasies, inviting and confronting the reader and viewer.
Her recent photography project, RAW, explores raw love: love guided purely by intuition and impulse. It presents us with beings who are one with nature; perverse yet exhibitionist.
Eva Lansink aims to expose the animalistic side of humanity that we often suppress in order to conform to societal norms. Through her work, Lansink allows us to briefly inhabit a world that is unlike our own, where we can anonymously fulfill our needs and desires. www.ftn-books.com has the DRIFT book now available from a signed numbered edition of 100 copies.
n the year 1950, the collaboration with Italian-American gallery Catherine Viviano in New York was initiated. In 1952, he joined the Gruppo degli Otto, which also included Renato Birolli, Antonio Corpora, Mattia Moreni, Armando Pizzinatoi, Giuseppe Santomaso, Giulio Turcato, Ennio Morlotti, and Emilio Vedova. This group participated in documenta 1 in 1955 and documenta 2 in 1959 in Kassel, Germany.
Along with these artists, Afro participated in the 26th Biennale of Venice, where he was awarded a prize for his work, Villa Fleurent (1952). He also participated again in 1954 and 1956. In 1956, he won the award for the best Italian painter. In 1960, he won the Guggenheim Prize in New York with his work, L’isola del Giglio. Throughout this entire period, until his passing, Afro continued to exhibit his work, especially in Italy, the United States, and France.
Wolfgang Ellenrieder, hailing from Munich, has mastered the art of camouflage and deception in his work. He skillfully lures the viewer astray, drawing upon a plethora of sources such as stock photography archives, the internet, brochures on model-making, and his own photographs, drawings, and watercolours. Through these varied mediums, he offers glimpses into our reality. However, this reality is intertwined and transformed into something entirely new, a game of interconnected media. With calculated closeness to our experiences and visual knowledge, Ellenrieder challenges the perceived security of our observation of images. Moreover, his paintings and photographs exemplify the power of the image in our modern age. This seductive art conceals the mechanisms and structures of our media-driven existence, while also provocatively questioning the role of images in politics, society, and culture in a subtle yet ironic tone.
www.ftn-books.com has currently the Kerber published PARALLEL book available.
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
