Similar to Lies Cosijn, Jan de Rooden, Johnny Rolf, Johan van Loon and Helly Oestreicher, Hans de Jong was a member of a cohort of Dutch ceramicists who eschewed the utilitarian aspect of their craft. The few functional pieces he created were primarily commissioned works, serving as rare exceptions to his artistic ideology. The exhibition at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag showcases approximately 70 pieces spanning from 1959 to 2001. The focus lies on the 1960s and ’70s, a pivotal period during which ceramics gained recognition as an independent art form. This era saw a surge in experimentation and innovation, as artists pushed the boundaries of the material and incorporated negative space in striking ways, elevating their pieces to the realm of sculptural expression.
The objects presented in this exhibition epitomize Hans de Jong’s playful approach to his craft. He frequently described his figurative pieces as “poppen” (meaning “puppets” or “dolls”), a nod to his fascination with puppetry and the theatrical arts. In 1957, he designed a series of masks for the debut performance at Marijke and Sieto Hoving’s Cabaret Tingel-Tangel. In a 1961 interview published in De Telegraaf newspaper, he shared, “During my years as a student, I spent countless hours working on a puppet theatre, creating all the puppets myself. I believe this experience served as the inspiration for the colorful sculptures I now produce.”
www.ftn-books.com has now the Kunstmuseum Den Haag invitation available.
Lara Gasparotto presents us with her life as it is: captured spontaneously, yet rough around the edges, at times provocative, at others intimate, black and white images next to bursts of color.
From a young age, Lara Gasparotto photographed her friends in their everyday lives. This book follows this group of young people throughout the years: images that at first glance may seem trivial, but they linger. Moments of stolen happiness and intimacy, photographed without pretense. Her life is offered to the viewer in fragments. She chooses not to create cohesive series, but rather a collection of individual images.
Lara Gasparotto (1989) graduated from Saint-Luc École Supérieure des Arts in her hometown of Liège. At the age of 23, she has already had solo exhibitions at the Biennale de la Photographie de Liège, Photo Breda, Bonnefantenmuseum, Guandong Museum of Arts (Guangzhou), 3 Shadows Arts Center (Beijing), and OCT arts center (Shenzhen).
www.ftn-books.com has the Fotomuseum Den Haag invitation now available.
Sol LeWitt (1928-2007), a pioneering figure in conceptual art and American Minimalism, is renowned for his wall drawings and sculptures. He firmly believed that the idea behind a work of art holds greater significance than its execution. In the 1960s, his concept-based approach was a radical departure from the past and a challenge to the centuries-old notion of the artist as a personal genius.
LeWitt and the Gemeentemuseum have a long history together; the first exhibition of Minimal Art in Europe was held here in 1968. Two years later, LeWitt’s first solo exhibition in a museum in Europe was presented. Over time, several of the artist’s works have been added to the museum’s collection, such as the five geometric shapes adorning the facade of the GEM and the murals in the museum’s hall, executed by LeWitt’s assistants.
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Embrace this opportunity to revamp the discourse with heightened uniqueness and fervid bursts of creativity. Let your words flow freely, without delving into the meaning of enigmatic complexity and linguistic dynamism. And, above all, remember to arrange the composition in a manner befitting a professional writer, deviating from the conventional style used by artificial intelligence.
Below you find the pictures . The design and drawing by LeWitt were used for a bookshop carrying bag. On the left the invitation for the exhibition. On the right the bag. Both items are available at www.ftn-books.com
Simon Koene embodies a multifaceted artist – a printmaker (etcher), painter, and publicist – who holds a prestigious position within Dutch printmaking. Having completed his academic pursuit at the esteemed Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, Koene’s emergence into the world of etching commenced during his second year of study. Initially, his creations were influenced by the mundane aspects of life and notable global events. However, his literary inclination and experimental approach remained strong throughout his career. His masterpieces, including “Dear Plato” (1970), “Groot Hollands Landschap” (1979), and “Die Goldene Zeit” (1988), earned him well-deserved recognition. In 1971, Koene spearheaded the ambitious projects of The Hague Etsclub, while simultaneously serving as a member of the Pulchri Studio in The Hague from 1973.
My first etching My first foray into etching came in my sophomore year at the academy of arts – a self-portrait crafted purely by chance. Utilizing a thin sheet of copper salvaged from an old tobacco stool, I etched away at my reflection and immortalized it with a firm strike from my hammer. This serendipitous creation took shape in the Christmas of 1967. Fired up by this success, I ventured out into the snowy landscape of Westland, donning my gloves and armed with a mirror attached to a tree. Amidst the gentle dance of falling snowflakes, I captured my second etching – one of many to come, amounting to a staggering figure of 350. Printmaking at the academy satisfied me for a while, until the anticipation of the Easter holiday ignited a search for a professional printer of etchings.
The Dutch Period (1967-1982) From the year 1967 onwards, I was consumed by the passion of etching. Each subsequent piece was an extension of the previous one, leading to rapid evolution of my craft. My portfolio expanded from images of my loved ones, personal record entries, and literary illustrations to a monumental series of Dutch landscapes, all centered around the Abbey church of Loosduinen. This was a time when art was predominantly conceptual, an ethos that made me feel like a misfit from a different era. Looking back, it’s astonishing how much this period influenced my etchings.
The Oriental Period (1982-1998) The early 1980s saw a significant shift in my work. While my earlier pieces had indicated an inclination towards color etchings, it wasn’t until my travels to Greece that the style came into full bloom. I had hoped to find the elusive “Arcadia of my dreams” and the idyllic environment reminiscent of my upbringing at the Gymnasium. When the twilight of the nineties finally arrived, I decided it was time to put an end to my etching career. I had amassed over three hundred and fifty pieces, still harbored a passion for drawing and painting, and my prints were proudly displayed in the prestigious collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.
www.ftn-books.com has the invitation for his Gemeentemuseum Den Haag now available.
Maria van Kesteren (1933), the grande dame of woodturning, actually does not like wood. She is bothered by the outward characteristics of the material, but needs it to create the shapes she desires. In addition, she is constrained by technique: a woodturner cannot escape the circle. For over forty years, Van Kesteren developed new variations within this functional limitation. Now at 85 years old, she is no longer physically able to create new works. The exhibition at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag is therefore a fitting tribute to an independent designer. The showcased pieces come from her own collection, private collections, and the generous donation that the museum received from the Stichting Altena Boswinkel Collection.
Van Kesteren, who has also designed forms in glass and ceramics, initially worked with tropical wood before using only Dutch wood species such as linden, maple, and elm. In her first wood sculptures – bowls and dishes that initially referred to a functional purpose – she clearly showed the wood pattern. But she quickly became tired of the material’s outward characteristics, as they distracted from what truly mattered to her: the form. In fact, the color and structure bothered her so much that she covered them up with thin layers of paint in somber hues such as steel grey, pitch black, or, as a tribute to Berlage, ochre yellow. This resulted in the material of her objects being barely recognizable.
www.ftn-books.com has the invitation for the above exhibition now available.
Renowned photographer Werner Bischof (1916-1954) was a photojournalist for iconic publications such as Life and Picture Post. In the two decades before his untimely demise in 1954, he created a memorable and multifaceted body of work. Commemorating his centenary, the Hague Museum of Photography presents a comprehensive retrospective of his work, showcasing approximately 220 original prints, along with contact prints, personal correspondence, and photographic books. This exhibit provides a thorough look into his studio work, his documentation of post-World War II Europe, and his journeys to Asia, South America, and the United States. Curated by the photographer’s eldest son, Marco Bischof, in collaboration with Magnum Photos, the exhibit will also feature an additional 30 photographs captured by Bischof in the Netherlands during the autumn of 1945, never before seen by the public.
Upon Werner Bischof’s graduation from the Zurich School of Applied Arts in 1936, he appeared destined for greatness in the emerging field of advertising photography. Despite the war, he remained steadfast in this pursuit well into the 1940s. However, towards the end of the war and following the liberation of Europe, Bischof’s perspective shifted towards the greater mission of photography: to bear witness to events, gather evidence, and unearth the truth. Instantly enamored with photojournalism, he devoted his efforts solely towards covering social and political issues. Until his unexpected and tragic passing in 1954 (due to a car accident in Peru), he remained resolute in his determination to expose injustice, whether it be the famine in India or the daily toll of war on a remote Vietnamese village.
Werner Bischof embarked on a journey from Zurich to the war-ravaged nations of Luxembourg, Holland, Belgium, and France in November 1945. His purpose was to capture the aftermath of the aid provided by the Swiss relief organization Die Schweizer Spende to the devastated countries. His photo reportage was later published in the spring of 1946, titled ‘Europe’, in the cultural monthly magazine, Du. Along with documenting the aid efforts, Bischof and his partner Emil Schulthess also witnessed the “appalling destruction and unimaginable chaos” in the towns and cities they traveled through. As a photographer, Bischof was struck by the juxtaposition of children playing amidst the rubble, destruction and reconstruction, sorrow and hope.
www.ftn-books.com has the Bischof invitation for Fotomuseum Den Haag exhibition now available.
Ryan Mendoza, born 1971 in New York, is a notable figure in the revival of painting. His artistic style seamlessly blends elements of realism and expressionism as he delves into historical references, drawing inspiration from the likes of Lucian Freud, Chuck Close, and Alex Katz. Mendoza’s approach to painting involves melding distant models with his own unique aesthetic inspired by everyday experiences. His powerful depictions explore intimate fears and expose humanity’s hidden obsessions.
Anna Lupa de Simone, in her writing for the catalogue of Mendoza’s exhibition The Possessed at Madre, Museo D´Arte Contemporanea DonnaRegina in Naples in 2010, aptly describes the complexity of his work.
Mendoza pursued his passion for painting by studying at the prestigious Parsons School of Art and Design in both New York and Paris. He then embarked on a journey of artistic exploration, residing in Munich, Berlin, Paris, and Rome. Currently, he calls both Naples and Berlin his home and continues to create and share his poignant reflections on the human condition through his captivating works of art.
www.ftn-books.com has recently added the inviatation for the children book on Paul Poiret.
The youthful Paul Poiret envisions a future as a fashion designer. By day, he delivers umbrellas to fashion houses; at night, he sketches fashion designs in his room and brings them to life with scraps of umbrella fabric. On his travels, he discovers a colorful world around the Mediterranean and everything falls into place. Fueled by inspiration, he creates new and exotic fashion designs. The umbrella delivery boy transforms into the King of Fashion.
Renowned American photographer Peter Hujar (1934-1987) began his career in the 1950s as a commercial photographer but eventually became a part of the group of artists, poets, and musicians who formed New York’s underground art scene in the 1970s and 80s. His portraits of the often extravagant individuals who were a part of the extreme art and nightlife world in Manhattan, as well as his photos of animals and landscapes, are characterized by a meticulous approach and simple composition. The Hague’s Fotomuseum, in collaboration with The Morgan Library & Museum in New York and Fundación MAPFRE in Madrid, presents a large retrospective of over one hundred vintage photographic works created by Peter Hujar from the mid-1950s until his untimely death in 1987.
According to Nan Goldin, Peter Hujar should have enjoyed the same fame as his younger colleague and style companion, Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989). However, Mapplethorpe was fixated on outer beauty, fame, sensation, shock, and self-promotion, while Hujar was more focused on character, experience, and the mental universe of his subjects, whom he often photographed in intimate situations. Mapplethorpe’s commercial instincts were much stronger than Hujar’s. Many testimonies describe Hujar as a difficult man, and renowned photography critic Vince Aletti – also one of his closest friends – said, “He could never sell himself”. Despite his aversion to commercialism and frequent conflicts with major galleries, Hujar continued to fight for wider recognition of his work throughout his life.
Upon initial observation, the artistic creations of Masha Trebukova (*1962) may seem purely obscure – vibrant forms of varying hues and contours on canvas. They fluidly merge with each other or clash in vigorous opposition, twirling and collapsing at their peak. It is as though cosmic powers are locked in a fierce struggle on the painted surface, yet a sense of familiar reality does emanate from this non-figurative battleground. The color blue – situated either at the summit or the base of the painting – can inexplicably transform into an inviting pool of water or boundless skies, while shimmering silver-pink openings take on the quality of atmospheric matter pierced by light. At times, these forms adopt a three-dimensional quality comparable to a solid mass (as opposed to their previous resemblance to landscapes), further emphasizing the illusion of depth. In the same vein, luminaries such as Willem de Kooning and Nicolas de Stael toiled at the threshold of abstraction and reality during the mid-1900s.
Trebukova charts her own path towards resolving the eternal quandary of painting – the interplay between surface and profundity. She introduces novel materials to the longstanding practice of oil painting. Pieces of dyed gauze, coarse jute, leather, or sheer interfacing fabric, when applied to the canvas, open up fresh avenues for tackling this ageless issue. The underlying layer of color seeps through the painted gauze, engendering a sense of depth, yet perpendicular brushstrokes, reminiscent of Cezanne’s technique, reintroduce distant images to the flatness of the foreground, causing the surface to rupture into boundless space, and abstraction to “become” reality.
The concept central to her printmaking practice is identical. First, she prepares cardboard sheets with a mixture of glue and sand, utilizing these structures to create monotypes. Sometimes, she cleverly assembles multiple pieces, culminating in polypthychs measure up to 2 by 3 meters. Be it on paper or canvas, Masha’s primary focus is to tackle artistic obstacles, including achieving a harmonious color palette, exploring the interplay between form and structure, and evoking tension and allure in the elements. Nevertheless, a sense of reality inevitably emerges, defying logical calculations and seeping out from the depths of the subconscious, stemming from the profound connection between the artist and her surroundings. This fusion of rationality and spontaneity is not easily attained, but rather a product of refined and skillful techniques.
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
