Gérard Fromanger was born in 1939. His father, from an artistic family, was an amateur painter. The child, from a very young age, paints and draws. Fromanger will only make brief studies (Grande-Chaumiere, Beaux-Arts, Paris). He follows courses organized by the city of Paris. He becomes friends with the sculptor César, with Jacques Prévert and with the Giacometti brothers. In his first period, the artist produces several figurative compositions ranging from gray to clear-obscure earth tones. He draws and becomes interested in lithography. Quickly, Fromanger changes his style; practicing painting with contrasting flat tints. He participates in the adventure of the Nouvelle Figuration (New Figuration) and imposes himself in the 60’s as one of the personalities of the Parisian artistic scene. The artist participates from 1964, and for a long time afterwards, in the collective exhibitions (Salon de Mai, Salon de la Jeune Peinture, Salon Grands and Jeunes d’Aujourd’hui, etc.) in which he obtains important prizes. Some solo exhibitions are organized in his name (Grenoble, Namur, Paris, Sienne, etc.). In 1968, where the general ambiance is the contestation of the social issue of the student generation, Fromanger co-founds the Atelier of Beaux-Arts that will produce thousands of posters. He shoots film tracts with Jean-Luc Godard. The artist has the habit of producing in series. He produces the sculptures ‘environmental’, creates costumes and sets for the ballet. Fromanger progressively moves away from the sociological topics that for a long time motivate his pictorial activity in aid of a creation specifically plastic or intended to be so. From a not long ago military pictorial activity, the artist passes onto an individual and hedonistic conception; there are from now on the pleasure of shadows, forms and colors. He divides his time between Sienne and Paris.
And the final blog on van Hemert until there is another addition to our collection. Here is another pastel drawing from 1988. A delicate pink, green and grey makes this one stand out from the other drawings. Drawing is from 1988 too.
For information on all these drawings and other Frank van Hemert related material at www.ftn-books.com, please inquire at wilfriedvandenelshout@gmail.com
From 1980 till 1982 he studied at Atelier 63 in Haarlem. In the early 80’s he was discovered as a young talent and received an invitation from the curator Rudi Fuchs to Documenta 7 in Kassel.
His works are represented in numerous museums, private and public collections. The versatility of his work, both on the canvas and on paper, speaks from many comprehensive series on the major themes of life.
Another from the recently acquired series of Pastel drawings by Frank van Hemert. This from 1988
Through my paintings and drawings I make a connection with myself and the other. The best I can achieve is that my paintings and drawings inspire the other to make a connection with themselves
Frank van Hemert
Yesterday is atrted with the short series of blogs on Frank van Hemert. The occasion . ….I acquired a small series of late Eighties pastel drawings which I examined now out of the frames. Today an almost square with purple and black balls ” untitled” from 1988
Frank van Hemert exhibition at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag
Today i have finished examining the series of Frank van Hemert pastel drawings I recently acquired. Examined them out of the frame. Photographed these without the glass protection and removed them from their backing board. Fresh pH free double sided tape and because I removed them, I had the chance to make the photographs. An impressive and beautiful series of which I will share in the coming days all pastel on paper drawings. Show the front, back and details.
First is ” BED” a pastel in red , white and black from 1987 which reminded me of the bed from the Frits Becht collection which was on show in the Nineties at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag ( see picture above)
There are several Frank van Hemert publications now available at www.ftn-books.com
Yesterdays blog was devoted to Josef Albers and today it is time to focus on Anni Albers. Forced into weaving at the BAuhaus she has become one of the leading female artists of last century with her textile art.
For those not planning to go….. You will not be disappointed when you see these yourself…..enjoy.
Last week we visited the Josef and Anni Albers exhibition at the KUNSTMUSEUM ( Gemeentemuseum Den Haag). An absolute must visit for those interested in the Bauhaus and the Albers family. The highlight of the show was for me personally the last painting ever by Josef Albers, but the textiles by Anni Albers were the revelation. It is a once in a lifetime presentation and an absolute must visit for those interested in Modern Art and Minimalism. I have taken many photographs , but want to share in this and tomorrow’s blog some of the most important ones……and of course for publications on both artists visit www.ftn-books.com
The last finished painting by Albers
Tomorrow a series of Anni Albers at the KUNSTMUSEUM
First time i heard about Herold is when Rudi Fuchs introduced this artist at the Stedelijk Museum in 1993. With it came one of the most appealing catalogues from the 90’s.
Gracia Lebbink signed for the design of the catalogue, making it simple and informative, but still it has the signature of a great designed catalogue. This catalogue is now available at www.ftn-books.com
Georg Herold is a sculptor, painter, photographer, video and installation artist. He completed an apprenticeship as an artist’s blacksmith and was educated at the art academy in Halle. In 1974 he left the GDR and attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich for two years. He then went to Hamburg, where he graduated from the University of Fine Arts under the supervision of Sigmar Polke.
With a number of others he formed a close-knit group of “provocateurs”, also called enfants terribles or a bad boy group, who embraced the punk movement and flourished in the anarchist spirit of the late 1970s.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Herold was influenced by the work of Albrecht Dürer and the Dada movement. A number of works “allude” to this or are “idiosyncratic provocation”. The ironic tendency of his work leaves room for interpretation. Characteristic of that period of his work is, ‘There is nothing more – There is no law’ (1992).
Georg Herold’s work is experimental and daring. For example, he uses cheap, often second-hand materials traditionally associated with construction, household, clothing and edible purposes. This led to his objects being compared to the Arte Povera. On closer examination, the influence of Joseph Beuys is evident, echoed in Herold’s approach and discussion of political, social and cultural paradigms. There are many references to language and art history in his work.
Blühendes Leben (2009) was the title of Herold’s work that was shown at ART ZUID in 2011. A pink dancer made of slats, screws, wire, canvas and lacquer, resembles a parody of a common title for kitsch paintings. The maker surprises the viewer, who has to decide for himself whether the pose is seductive or not.
Herold had many solo exhibitions in leading museums in Europe and beyond. Since 1999 he has been a professor at the prestigious Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.
The above item is really scarce and now available at www.ftn-books.com. At the time of publication Rudi Fuchs had a severe car accident in Italy and had to recover for a very long time. This annual publication was intended to be a series like the series of JAARBOEK publications he started in his time at the Gemeentemuseum. Those were designed by Gracia Lebbink and he had the idea to produce a same kind of annual publication on the Stedelijk Museum, but to my knowledge this is the only annual publication that was realised. Still …This is how an annual publication should be. It gives some great insight in the history of a large museum like the Stedelijk Museum and it reads like an adventure novel. It is a lot of work for any organisation to put a publication like this together, but for those of us , who are interested in the history of the Stedelijk Museum it is is nice that we can read what happened during the past year(s)
Text spoken by Ad van der Helm at the opening of the Opara exhibition at the Pulchri Studio in 2018
t is an extraordinary experience to contemplate the works of Vladimir Opara. I have been looking into his catalogue for some weeks and thought about the themes that he delivers us. These are religious themes. Not self-evident for an art gallery in a modern city like The Hague. For Vladimir heaven signifies a presence. It is for him a way of looking at the life of mankind. I also read his notes for this exhibition ‘Heavens’. Heaven is about mankind. Also about the catastrophes that might occur. Reflecting about heavens doesn’t mean to look away or deny these catastrophes. But looking at heavens gives consolation and offers the reason not to lose trust in mankind.
I want to share with you this afternoon the ideas and feelings that come up with me by the words and images of Vladimir. I want to share with you how I want to climb the ladder myself. Not in order to tell you how you have to do this yourself, but as an invitation to discover your own ladder and take hold of it.
What fascinates me in the words that Vladimir offers today, is living in the time of the eighth day. For us as Christians this eighth day returns every week when we celebrate Sunday. Sunday is the eighth day that follows the seventh day, the Sabbath. Sabbath is the restday of the Lord by with creation is completed. The Sunday after this restday is not the first day of the week, but it means the beginning of another life. The Sunday has therefor another, symbolic meaning. It is not about whether or not commercial Sundays are permitted; I don’t mind so much. For me it is not an issue anymore. I can do without them. But whoever gives him/herself the opportunity for a day different from the others, whoever makes room for the eighth day in his/her life, has started to climb up the ladder. He/she wants to rise above the ground level of our flat country. Our country is extremely flat. Vladimir is very impressed by the flatness of our country, and he also tells about the catastrophes that have occurred in the floods of 1953 and 1916. I am more negative on the flatness of the Netherlands: we can make our country so flat that there is no place to put our ladder.
Where else can a ladder find support than in heaven? Heaven is our focus for the other reality that surrounds us, like the oxygen that we breathe without seeing it. Heaven is like the huge firmament that opens up our regards to new distances and perspectives that we otherwise would ignore. I do not talk about looking up, because it is a misunderstanding that heaven is above us. Heaven is not a place, but an invitation to choose another perspective to contemplate our reality.
There is also another ladder that invites us and that you can find in the work of Vladimir Opara. That is the cross. Probably you are not used to see the parallel between a ladder and a cross. Yet the cross is also a ladder put against heaven. May be you will say: the cross is not a ladder, it is the end of life? Indeed it is a torture instrument used by the Romans for their slaves. The first Christians hesitated some centuries before they dared to show the cross as their symbol and sign of recognition. The apostle Paul struggles also with the meaning of the cross. It reveals itself not as an end, but as a passage. The cross is the ultimate paradox because with this instrument of torture love becomes visible. The ladder elevates us above our reality and gives another perspective on our own human life. On the cross, the climax of the life of Jesus Christ, it becomes clear to what love a person is capable of, even if life is made impossible and taken away. “Forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing” or “mother, see, there is your son; son see there is your mother” and other mysterious words and gestures make clear that on the cross life is not taken away, but life is given.
This is living on the eighth day. This is living in a world that is not flat. That is living in a world not threatened by a lack of vision about beauty. That is living in a world not lacking of a vision on real life. This is loving in a world not threatened by a lack of vision on what is lasting happiness. Of course there are catastrophes that menace the world and mankind. And people are angry with heaven: why this is done to us? But not heaven is to blame. Heaven is benevolent, and invites us to climb the ladder instead of lying down and remaining asleep like a depressive Jacob. We’d better get up and rise.
Vladimir Opara offers much more to reflect upon and to let feelings come up. It is up to us to understand what this means to ourselves and what ladder we want to climb. Lying down is no option. I hope that you discover by this exhibition what height, width and depth surround us en that in this universe the reality of life of the eighth day is opening up to us. This gives comfort, peace and trust in a restless and a cruel and sometimes ugly world. Life can be so beautiful!
The Opara book/ The Permanance of the Changing is now available at www.ftn-books.com
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
