I have written before on Leo gestel, but now I like to emphasize the importance of the commemorative LEO GESTEL catalog published on the occasion of his commemorative exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.
Only 20 pages but the cover contains 4 small original prints by Gestel making this one of the important 40’s catalogs published by the Stedelijk Museum.
Recently i acquired a Boymans publication by these two artists.. T”en To ONE” is published like an artist book by Museum Boymans van Beuningen and deserves to be present in every collection of artist books and it occurred to me that the collection of special catalogs by Boymans van Beuningen is growing more important by the year. Many important publications were published in the last 3 decades and for me the Boymans publications are becoming more important than the ones the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam published during the last 3 decades. Stil the 50’s, 60’s and part of the 70’s publications by the Stedelijk Museum are among the most important ever published.
the TEN TO ONE book is now available at www.ftn-books.com
Avery Preesman originates from a musical background. In the early ’90s, the self-taught artist has the opportunity to study at De Ateliers in Amsterdam, where he is recognized for revitalizing abstract painting. In ’94, he secures the second place in the Prix de Rome competition, and from ’96 to 2006, he exhibits internationally, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Ghent and with a traveling exhibition in America. He wins several other awards and resides at Donald Judd’s Chinati Foundation in Texas. After 2006, he becomes less prominent in the art scene.
Preesman’s body of work can be divided into drawings and paintings. The artist himself does not divide his oeuvre, but refers to it as “pictorial sculptures.” “However plastic and sculptural my work may be, it is always created from a painter’s perspective,” he asserts. According to Preesman, the small painting ‘Bellamyplein’ (1992) was a defining piece that influenced all his subsequent paintings and sculptures. It is based on photos of the eponymous square in Amsterdam and demonstrates Preesman’s eye for architectural structures.
From the outset, Preesman’s paintings bear a heavy paint mass. Sometimes he incorporates coconuts or beans onto and into his canvases. His works have a solid feel, composed of thick layers. Within those layers, Preesman scratches as if he wants to liberate the space between them. It appears as though he wants to treat paintings simultaneously as carriers of imagery and as objects. Occasionally, his works feature letters or fragments of text. For instance, the letter ‘T’ references architecture: the symbol combines a vertical supporting element with a horizontal load-bearing element. The artist also draws parallels to how hip-hop musicians manipulate language, sound, and rhythm.
Through his exploration of space within the painting, Preesman quickly liberates it from traditional constraints. In ’93, he creates the first of his characteristic cage-like wall sculptures: straight or slanted wooden beams or metal profiles joined together in an open structure, with the ribs wrapped in a rich mixture of plaster with sand and/or cement. Preesman aims to avoid his artworks occupying all the available space, reserving space for our gaze. Hans Den Hartog Jager once wrote that Preesman “inflates the lines in his paintings into the third dimension and develops them as ‘concrete line systems.’ By pushing abstraction from the second into the third dimension, the works can claim real space and do not remain trapped in an illusionistic
www.ftn-books.com has the Preesman/NAI now available.
a little promotion for an exhibition which must not be missed for those interested in conceptual art and the history of one of the most important galleries in the world from past century. Art & Project is arguably the most important galerie in the Netherlands from past century and has presented many of the nowadays great names in MOdern Art. They published over a period of 2decades a few hundred of important publications on MOdern art. Among these the famous bulletins of which 156 were published. The exhibition will be opened until the 25th of February 2024. A must visit .
www. ftn-books.com has 64 different bulletin titles available and furthermore, letters, invitations, publications and catalogs. Here is a selection of the Bulletin ‘s available
A few months ago i wrote a blog on Kees Timer. The Rotterdam artist who is growing more important by the years. This importance was recognised in an early stage by the museum Bpoymans van Beuningen who presented 2 major one man show with this local artists and made with both exhibitions important publications. Last week I finally added the 1973 catalog to my inventory so now I am one of the very addresses that offers both publications on Kees Timmer.
Raised in Villa Pueyrredón, Buenos Aires, Mordillo enjoyed his early years as the son of Spanish parents and developed a passion for drawing. In pursuit of his artistic aspirations, he acquired the title of Illustrator from the School of Journalism in 1948. Working with the animation team Burone Bruch, Mordillo beautifully brought to life classic children’s stories such as Perrault Tales, Schmid Tales, The Musicians of Bremen, and The Three Little Pigs, which were published by Codex. In 1952, Galas Studios was founded by Mordillo and his colleagues, focusing on animation production. Simultaneously, Mordillo pursued a promising career as an illustrator, making contributions to local magazines.
On the 7th of November, 1955, Mordillo embarked on an adventure to Lima, Peru, where he found himself employed as a freelance designer for the reputable advertising company McCann Erickson. In 1958, his skills in illustration were showcased in Aesop’s Fables and Samaniego for Editorial Iberia Lima.
After completing greeting-card illustrations for Hallmark Cards, a renowned company based in Kansas City, Mordillo set off to the United States in 1960, joining the esteemed Paramount Pictures Studios in New York. A significant milestone in his career was his involvement in the creation of two iconic characters, Popeye and Little Lulu, for a film performance. Additionally, he conceived two characters for the short film Trick for Tree.
Three years passed, and on the 20th of August, 1963, Mordillo experienced another transformative turn of events. This time, he embarked on a European journey, eventually arriving in Paris on the 19th of September. Initially, Mordillo found himself contributing humorous letters to Mic-Max Edition. In July 1966, he began collaborating with Le Pelerin magazine, followed shortly by Paris Match. By 1968, Mordillo’s work was gaining recognition around the globe, particularly in Germany’s Stern magazine. It was in Paris that he met his wife, Amparo Camarasa, and together, they tied the knot in 1969. This union blessed them with two children: Sebastian Jerome in 1970 and Cecile Isabelle in 1972.
In 1980, Mordillo relocated to Mallorca, Spain, where he assumed the role of President for the International Association of Authors of Comics and Cartoons (CFIA), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. After spending 18 fruitful years in Spain, Mordillo returned to France in 1998. The subsequent year saw him participate in the esteemed Creative Workshop Zermatt in Switzerland.
In 2007, Mordillo delved into new artistic endeavors, experimenting with various materials such as acrylics, pastels, and crayons. The subsequent year, in collaboration with Art Petrus, Mordillo masterfully reproduced his artwork with astounding detail. During the same year, he released the Mordillo Collection, a numbered and autographed publication available on the internet.
www.ftn-books.com has the 1974 Stalling publication by Mordillo available.
Amsterdam is the place where Helly Oestreicher resides and works. Her education was at the renowned Rietveld Academy, where she also took the role of an instructor for numerous years. What distinguishes her artwork is its distinctiveness and modernity. You won’t find any landscape paintings or portraits of individuals within her studio. Furthermore, she deviates from the conventional materials typically used by artists, such as wood, stone, or bronze. Instead, she employs self-molded glass, porcelain, or clay as her base materials, all created within her own oven. Occasionally, she incorporates pre-existing discarded materials like iron nuts, tree bark, or seashells, giving rise to entirely new creations.
www.ftn-books.com has 2 important Oestreicher publications now available.
A painter, draughtsman, and commercial artist, Schwann was born in 1893 in Germany and passed away in 1969 in East Berlin. He later worked in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) under the pseudonym Nilgreen.
Since 1912, Schwann mainly worked in Berlin and focused on creating industrial landscapes during the 1920s. In 1925, he became the leader of a group called “the abstract ones,” which later changed its name to “the up-to-date ones.” In the 1930s, influenced by East Asian painting, Schwann began experimenting with vibrant landscape watercolors. This artistic shift aligned with the Soviet cultural policy in the GDR, where socialist realism became the dominant artistic style starting in 1949.
Schwann studied at the Strassburger College of Arts and Crafts from 1908 to 1912. From 1912 until 1915, he trained under Emil Orlik and Emil Rudolf White at the teaching institute of the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Berlin. In 1921, he joined the storm movement. Then, in 1925, he assumed the leadership of the group known as “the abstract ones,” which later evolved into “the up-to-date ones.” In 1928, Schwann became a member of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). Following the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, he faced an exhibition ban. After the end of World War II in 1945, Schwann served as a professor at the University for Screen and Art in Berlin Charlottenburg until 1951. During the years 1947 to 1949, he collaborated with Karl Hofer in publishing the magazine “Screen and Art.” In 1955, he became a professor at the Academy of Art Berlin Weissensee, where he remained until 1958.
www.ftn-books.com has the Nerlinger book from 1947 now available
Peter BISCHOF, born in 1934 in Vienna, underwent his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna during the 1950s under the guidance of Boeckl and Gütersloh. Peter Bischof’s artistic achievements were honored with numerous solo exhibitions, the first of which took place in 1959 at the Viennese gallery adjacent to St. Stephan. He was a valued member of the artistic inner circle surrounding Msgr. Otto Mauer. From 1958 onward, he actively participated in exhibitions and graphic biennials both nationally and internationally, including Europe, America, Japan, and India. As a member and later vice-president of the Vienna Secession from 1970 to 1971, he contributed to the development of the art movement. His early representations conveyed dynamic, almost dance-like physicality, which later transitioned into a contemplative and static portrayal of the human body. The artist resided and worked in Kösslwang, Upper Austria.
On August 5, 2021, Peter Bischof passed away.
www.ftn-books.com has the 1969catalog now available
As part of the late 1960s Toronto counterculture, AA Bronson (b. Michael Tims, 1946, Vancouver), Felix Partz (b. Ronald Gabe, 1945, Winnipeg, d. 1994), and Jorge Zontal (b. SlobodanSaia-Levy, 1944, Parma, d. 1994) united in 1969 to form the single entity known as General Idea. From their earliest projects, such as the staging of The 1970 Miss General Idea Pageant, to later activist initiatives during the AIDS crisis, General Idea delved into multimedia, conceptual, and performance art as a means of engaging with mainstream culture and its repressions.
Currently touring from the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa to the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Gropius Bau in Berlin, General Idea’s definitive retrospective showcases their groundbreaking work. In addition to their well-known pieces, the group’s drawings have also received extensive recognition, exhibited at the Drawing Center in New York and MAMCO in Geneva.
While most of the group’s drawings have never been seen, they hold a significant place in General Idea’s collaborative and co-authored approach. Created by Jorge Zontal during brainstorming sessions, these drawings bear the “GI” signature, added shortly before Zontal’s death, and are considered to be a joint effort. After the group’s move from Toronto to New York in 1985, their drawings became more regular, reflecting their increasing isolation from the global art scene and the impact of the pervasive AIDS epidemic. As time passed, their initial joy was subdued by the loss of friends, as well as the deaths of Jorge and Felix themselves, which the group had to confront and incorporate into their work.
The hand-drawn nature of these motifs follows a logic reminiscent of General Idea’s affinity for mass production and reflects the virality of their AIDS-centric works. In their ever-changing and persistent nature, these drawings offer a captivating glimpse into General Idea’s unique artistic perspective and unconventional ideas of authorship, exposing the limitations of representation while acknowledging its pressing importance.
www.ftn-books.com has now this scarce publication available. It contains five off-set prints
