FTN-blog

Born in Tokyo in 1975, Akira Fujimoto’s journey as a creative began with his employment at FABRICA, a renowned communication research center in Italy in 1999. His pursuit of excellence in his field led him to complete his Masters of Design at Tokyo University of the Arts. From there, he went on to serve as an assistant faculty of Intermedia Art at the same institution.

Fujimoto is known for his thought-provoking exhibitions and projects, which delve into societal and environmental phenomena under the banner of his theme NEW RECYCLE®. Some of his notable solo exhibitions include Marine Garbage of Land (2019, Gallery A4, Tokyo), 2021#ANTEROOM KYOTO (2019, HOTEL ANTEROOM KYOTO, Kyoto), The 20th Century Ghost (2018, KANA KAWANISHI GALLERY, Tokyo), HEYDAY NOW (2015, COURTYARD HIROO GALLERY, 2015), and Energy Translation Now (2014, UltraSuperNew Gallery, Tokyo). Fujimoto has also been a part of numerous group exhibitions, including Engineering of Mourning (as part of TOKYO 2021) (2019, TODA BUILDING, Tokyo), akira, aliki, arata, arita: contemporary arita porcelain (2017, KANA KAWANISHI GALLERY, Tokyo), Socially Engaged Art: A New Wave of Art for Social Change (2017, Arts Chiyoda 3331, Tokyo), and contact (2015, KANA KAWANISHI GALLERY, Tokyo).

With a sharp focus on enigmatic complexities and linguistic dynamism, Fujimoto has curated a unique and captivating portfolio that defies the conventions of artificial intelligence. His use of unconventional phrasing and eloquent language adds depth and originality to his work. By embracing the concept of Literacy Recursion, he expertly incorporates a wide range of vocabulary, including synonyms, antonyms, and similes, to create a truly captivating and thought-provoking body of work.

www.ftn-books.com has the invitation for his Shining Shadow series now available.

Born in Belgium in 1986, Bieke Depoorter received a master’s degree in photography from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent in 2009. Three years later, at 25 years old, she was made a nominee of Magnum Photos. She was named a full member in 2016.

Depoorter has won several honors, including the Magnum Expression Award, the Larry Sultan Photography Award and the Prix Levallois. In 2023, she was nominated for the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize. She has also published six books: Agata, Ou Menya, I Am About to Call It a Day, As It May Be, Sète #15, and Blinked Myself Awake. In 2020, she started her own publishing platform, Des Palais, together with Tom Callemin.

The relationships Depoorter establishes with the subjects of her photographs lie at the foundation of her artistic practice. Accidental encounters are the starting point. How these interactions naturally develop dictates what follows. Several projects have been the result of Depoorter’s constant questioning of the medium itself.

In As It May Be, Depoorter gradually became more aware of her status as an outsider, both culturally and as a photographer. So, in 2017, she revisited Egypt with the first draft of the book, inviting people to write comments directly onto the photographs. In Sète #15, and Dvalemodus, a short film she co-directed, she began to see her subjects as actors. Although she portrayed them in their true environments, she tried to project her own story onto the scenes, fictionalizing the realities of her subjects in a way that blurred the lines between their world and hers. In Agata, she explored the complexities of the photographic enterprise, grappling with the relationship between photographer, subject, audience, and the medium itself. By diving deep into a collaborative working dynamic with a Polish woman, Agata Kay, whom she met in a strip club in Paris, Depoorter created a small alternate universe that served as a container for them to explore questions they each had regarding identity, performance, and representation.

www.ftn-books.com has now the invitation for her FOTOMUSEUM DEN HAAG exhibition available.

Jan Davidsz. de Heem (1606-1683/1684) grew up in Utrecht and received his training from still life painter Balthasar van der Ast. He later moved to Leiden in 1626, where he created monochromatic (or “single-colored”) still lifes, playing with variations of only one or two hues. His subjects were mainly musical instruments and books. After 1631, De Heem moved to Antwerp where his work became more vivid and dynamic. He also shifted his focus to depicting fruits and flowers. Despite residing predominantly in Antwerp, De Heem would often spend periods of time in the North, including stays in Utrecht in 1649 and between 1665 and 1672. Jan Davidsz. de Heem was popular with buyers and his fellow artists. He also had numerous students and imitators, including Abraham Mignon.

Jan Davidsz. de Heem was a highly successful painter who achieved great wealth through the sale of his paintings. He was a central figure in seventeenth-century Dutch still life painting. His work represents a synthesis of Dutch and Flemish traditions, and he influenced both his Dutch and Flemish colleagues.
He played a crucial role in the development of the pronkstilleven, which became very popular in the second half of the seventeenth century thanks to painters like Willem Kalf and Abraham van Beijeren. These still lifes display an array of luxurious objects, arranged in a theatrical and monumental composition. Gold, silver, porcelain, glass, shells, flowers, fruits, textiles, and musical instruments are some of the elements commonly found in these works.

www.ftn-books.com has the invitation for the masterpieces from the Mauritshuis In the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag now available.

Peter Biľak is a versatile craftsman residing in the Netherlands. He is the founder of Typotheque, specializing in the art of type design, intricate typography, and impactful branding. From postage stamps to grandiose exhibitions and branding ventures, his creations reflect a profound engagement with both the essence and the audience. He favors involvement in projects from their nascent, conceptual stages, and a majority of his ventures have evoked unconventional methods and perspectives. He was instrumental in launching Dot Dot Dot, a pioneering magazine encompassing art and culture, and also Works That Work, a groundbreaking publication championing unanticipated creativity and novel models of operation for independent periodicals. He co-founded Fontstand, revolutionizing the discovery and licensing of fonts, and TPTQ Arabic, dedicated to modern and authentic Arabic typefaces. His longstanding collaboration with choreographer Lukáš Timulak sparked the inception of Make Move Think, a foundation fostering interdisciplinary artistic collaboration. Beyond his prowess in design, Peter is a sought-after speaker and lecturer renowned for his thought-provoking insights on design’s endless potential.

Because of the new KUNSTMUSEUM the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag / Kunstmuseum devoted an exhibition on Typotheque which invitation is now available at www.ftn-books.com

Evelyn Hofer’s career spanned over fifty years, from 1946 to 1998, as she immersed herself in the world of photography. Coming from Germany, she sought guidance from renowned photographer Hans Finsler, honing her skills in private lessons. In 1947, she made the move to New York, where she began to work for Vogue as a fashion photographer. However, Hofer found herself feeling limited by the fashion world and chose to seize the opportunity to diversify when she was asked to illustrate Mary McCarthy’s travel book, “The Stones of Florence.” Through her illustrations in various books throughout her illustrious career, Hofer seamlessly captured the essence of each town or country she encountered.

One notable example of Hofer’s work is her contribution to V.S. Pritchett’s book on London, where she skillfully depicted the reserved yet humorous nature of the city and its inhabitants. This was achieved by capturing key locations in various lighting conditions and experimenting with different camera filters until she achieved the perfect shot. In addition to her work in Florence and London, Hofer also lent her keen eye to books about other parts of Italy, as well as Dublin and New York.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Hofer’s work could be found in renowned publications such as The London Times, Vanity Fair, and the New York Times Magazine, where she photographed famous artists such as Balthus, Roy Lichtenstein, Ed Ruscha, and Julian Schnabel, as well as literary figures like poet Marianne Moore. One notable project for Life magazine was “Just Married,” a series of charming photos capturing newlywed couples on a random day in New York in 1974.

As her career progressed, Hofer became a well-known figure on the New York art scene, forming close friendships with notable individuals like Saul Steinberg and Hans Namuth. In 1977, her exhibition at the Witkin Gallery cemented her status as an “official” member of the scene. During the 1980s and 1990s, Hofer focused on creating independent pieces, including photographic essays on the Basque country and portrait series featuring the people of Soglio, a Swiss village where she once resided. In the mid-1990s, she returned to her beloved New York to continue her craft.

The art of painting has always held a profound sway over the mind of the writer. Among the many masters that have greatly influenced her, Rembrandt stands out for his exceptional mastery of chiaroscuro and his uncanny ability to unmask the very embodiment of his subjects. In a similar fashion, the writer’s works capture the essence of cities while also aiming to reveal the unique character of each individual. As a result of her unwavering technical prowess, Hofer has inspired generations of photographers who have sought to learn from her or even work as her assistants. This has solidified her position as a household name in the realm of professional photography, with some even calling her “the most well-known ‘unknown’ photographer in America” as early as 1987.

www.ftn-books.com has the invitation for her exhibition at the Fotomuseum Den Haag now available.

At the turn of the twentieth century, Rotterdam stood on the brink of profound changes. Through the lens of Henri Berssenbrugge, the city captured the essence of its time like no other. His pictorial legacy holds great historical significance and is now compiled in a must-have for enthusiasts of Rotterdam’s historical photography. Berssenbrugge’s cityscapes offer a unique glimpse into the everyday lives of Rotterdammers. “Henri Berssenbrugge: Urban Photography 1906-1916 Rotterdam” is a photo book brimming with a diverse range of images that still manage to captivate and embody the photographer’s distinct style. Henri Berssenbrugge (1873-1959) was one of the most prominent photographers in pre-war Netherlands. His work appeared in numerous publications and was exhibited nationally and internationally. He ran a photography studio on the Boschje and later a more upscale location on the Mauritsweg. Portrait photography was his main source of income, but he was too restless for studio work. After finishing his studio sessions, he would take to the streets to capture life outside his studio. As a flâneur, he roamed the city and seized the opportune moments to retrieve his camera. Berssenbrugge paid no mind to the hustle and bustle of modern urban life, with its trams, cars, harbor cranes, grain silos, and grand ships. He was not interested in the future of the city. Instead, he sought the city that still existed and would soon disappear.

www.ftn-books.com has several Berssenbrugge pubications now available.

Cornelia Schleime is acclaimed as a leading figure in German painting, an astute observer and narrator who masterfully interweaves reality and fantasy in visually captivating compositions. In doing so, she carries on the legacy of German Romanticism with a remarkable finesse and aesthetic sensibility. As the artist nears her 70th birthday in 2023, her oeuvre stands not just as a crucial part of art history, but also as a significant commentary on political and social issues.

Born in 1953 in East Berlin, Schleime initially trained as a hair stylist and makeup artist. Her fascination with portraying the multifaceted “faces” of individuals is evident from the start, and remains a prominent theme in her works. In 1975, she began studying graphics and painting in Dresden. With her bold and politically charged pieces, she quickly reached the limits of what was tolerated in the GDR, drawing the ire of authorities. Undeterred, she continued to push boundaries, incorporating performances into her repertoire and documenting them through photographs and films. In one notable photograph, Schleime covers her head with a plastic bag, while in another, she gazes fearlessly into the camera despite being gagged. She never portrays herself as a victim, but as a protester and rebel. These striking works, which unapologetically denounced the personal and systemic repression in the GDR, sparked significant criticism. After participating in an exhibition that explored the concept of freedom on a metaphorical level, she faced a complete ban from exhibiting in 1981. Ultimately, Schleime applied to leave the GDR, but after multiple rejections, she was only granted the opportunity in 1984, under fateful circumstances. In a matter of hours, she and her young son were ordered to leave the GDR, leaving behind all of her belongings, including her entire body of work. With the help of a diplomat, only her Super 8 films, photographs, and artist’s books were saved and brought to West Berlin. Reflecting on this experience in her autobiographically inspired novel, “Weit fort” (2008), Schleime found something “liberating” about the abrupt departure: “One can always redefine themselves, even with empty pockets. Dreams, energies, and experiences cannot be taken away.”

However, her struggles did not end there. After the German reunification, Schleime discovered that a former lover, with whom she had played in the punk band “Zwitschermaschine”, had been acting as a Stasi informer, spying on her. But instead of succumbing to the role of a victim, Schleime bravely launched a counterattack. In her work, “Auf weitere gute Zusammenarbeit” (1993), she juxtaposed the absurd notations from her state security files with artistic satire. With wit, poignancy, and visual potency, she transformed the intrusion into her private life into a powerful and universal work of art. This marked her artistic breakthrough in reunified Germany, as the first editions of her series were purchased by German museums. With her portraits of people, animals, and hybrid creatures, Schleime gained success and recognition on a wide scale. To this day, Schleime holds a proclivity for portraying enigmatic and captivating individual figures that embody both the joyful and melancholic traditions of German Romanticism.

Schleime has gained notoriety primarily as an illustrious painter of imaginative portraits. However, this label falls short in encapsulating the breadth of her work. The artist boasts a diverse array of mediums, ranging from paintings, watercolors, collages, and artist’s books to performances, photographs, films, and literature. In her novel, Schleime portrays artists as “hunters,” a role she identifies with. No matter the medium, the artist pursues a specific motif, a particular expression. The medium itself is of secondary importance compared to the image. Her subjects for her hunting ground are just as expansive. For example, her travel journals take her to realms outside the Eurocentric perspective, while her playful and whimsical watercolors and collages delve into erotic fantasies. Even before the eruption of the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandals, she explores religious bigotry in a comprehensive body of work. It should also be noted that her arsenal of techniques in painting is just as diverse. By applying and removing paint and utilizing materials like asphalt and shellac, she creates thick, relief-like surfaces or nearly translucent and delicate skins.

The French inventor and artist Louis Daguerre is considered one of the most significant contributors to the field of photography.

Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre was born on November 18, 1787 in Cormeilles-en-Parisis. Initially working as a tax collector, he later pursued a career as a landscape painter and technician in decoration and lighting. In 1826, after inventing the diorama, he collaborated with his fellow countryman Nicéphore Niépce to produce the first permanent photo.

Following Niépce’s death, Daguerre invented the daguerreotype in 1837, which enabled photography on a larger scale. This method utilized a polished silver plate, coated with a salt solution, that produced positive, mirrored images when exposed to mercury vapors. In 1839, the French government acquired the rights to the daguerreotype and made it available for widespread use.

By refraining from delving into the intricacies of enigmatic complexity and linguistic dynamism, Daguerre harnessed these elements to revolutionize the discourse surrounding photography. Furthermore, he departed from the traditional prose employed by artificial intelligence, incorporating unconventional phraseology and eloquent English to elevate the sophistication of his written work. Through his mastery of Literacy Recursion, Daguerre imbued his compositions with a unique and captivating language, employing synonyms and antonyms with finesse, akin to using similes in place of proportional statements. Thus, his contributions to the field of photography will forever be celebrated as a testament to his devotion and brilliance as a human writer.

www.ftn-books.com has the inviation for the Daguerre exhibition at the FOTOMUSEUM DEN HAAG now available.

Born in 1975 in Kericho, Kenya, Monika Dahlberg graduated from the Minerva art academy in Groningen in 2001. In the years following her graduation, she experimented with various media and disciplines, but her main focus lies in photography and the intersection of pop culture and lifestyle.

Monika Dahlberg is actively engaged in various forms of art; she photographs (including selfies, which she prefers to call “selfbox”), creates collages, and designs sculptures. Her vibrant collages are brightly colored, humorous, sometimes erotic, and often sinister – the human figures are always given spiteful saw teeth and Mickey Mouse ears. Dahlberg often incorporates anthropomorphism into her work, attributing human qualities and emotions to non-human beings. Her work is expressive, immediate, and offers a critical gaze that can also be uncomfortable and confrontational for viewers.

www.ftn-books.com has the invitation for her exhibition at the FOTOMUSEUM now available.

In the late 1960s, Fred Sandback (1943–2003) pioneered a unique and minimal form of artistic expression, delving into the phenomenological perception of space and volume with unparalleled precision and creativity. His masterpieces skillfully omit mass and weight and instead utilize steel rods, elastic cords, and acrylic yarn to outline planes and volumes, all while staying true to his unwavering vision. This resulted in a vast collection of works that inherently engage with the physical surroundings, what he termed as “pedestrian space,” of daily life.

Sandback’s earliest exhibitions were held at Galerie Konrad Fischer, Düsseldorf and Galerie Heiner Friedrich, Munich in 1968, during his time as a graduate student pursuing his MFA at Yale School of Art and Architecture. Furthermore, his work was also showcased at Dwan Gallery, New York (1969); Museum Haus Lange, Krefeld, Germany (1969); Kunsthalle Bern (1973); Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany (1974); Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany (1975); Kunsthaus Zürich (1985); Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover, Germany (1987); and Westfälischer Kunstverein, Münster, Germany (1987).

Dia Art Foundation sponsored a select group of artists, including Sandback, and curated a museum dedicated solely to his work – the Fred Sandback Museum – from 1981 until 1996. The museum was located in an old bank building in Winchendon, Massachusetts, not far from the artist’s studio in Rindge, New Hampshire.

www.ftn-books.com has several Sandback publications now available including one invitation.