FTN-blog

In his work, Frank Halmans (1963) often explores the domestic world and considers a home as a place where life oscillates between a public and a private sphere. Halmans delves into how we, as humans, inhabit these two distinct areas. One could call the artist a “house expert”: he is a skilled carpenter, plumber, and mason, and therefore knows everything about houses. Yet, within his work, houses or parts thereof take on a dreamlike form. In this respect, his series of “architectural vacuum cleaners” depicts his vision well. For this series, the artist transformed several vacuum cleaners into small architectural households with separate rooms, emphasizing their individual characters. He turned the machines, which we usually use to keep our households clean, into individual and standalone objects. The dirt is now efficiently sucked up and can be seen as a metaphor for everything we collectively gather in both our memories and their physical manifestation as objects in our homes.

www.ftn-books.com has several Halmans pubications available.

Daniele Galliano was born in 1961, in the quaint town of Pinerolo. His insatiable thirst for knowledge led him to be a self-taught artist. As early as the 1990s, he began to showcase his exceptional talent in his hometown, Turin, where he currently resides and works. In a remarkably short period of time, his works earned him a distinguished position in the emerging Italian painting scene.

Galliano’s unique approach to art, characterized by “photographic realism,” has paved the way for him to participate in significant solo and group exhibitions all around the globe.

In 2006, he was invited by Antonio Zaya to exhibit his work at the prestigious Ninth Biennale of Havana. In 2009, he reached new heights by showcasing his work at the 53rd Biennale of Venice, followed by a splendid display at the third edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in Kerala in 2016.

Additionally, Galliano has had numerous solo exhibitions, including those at the Galleria Annina Nosei (New York, 1996 and 1997), Galleria In Arco (Turin, 1992 and 1994), and the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna (Rome, 1996).

His impeccable work has also been featured in various collective shows at prestigious galleries such as the Galleria d’Arte Moderna of Bologna, XII Quadrennial in Rome, Galleria Civica of Trento, Rupertinum Museum of Salzburg, Magasin of Grenoble, and the Palazzo delle Papesse in Siena.

The demand for Galliano’s paintings has earned him a place in some of the most coveted public and private collections. Some notable ones include the Galleria Civica d’arte Moderna and Contemporanea in Turin, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna in Rome, MART of Trento and Rovereto, and the Unicredit Private Banking Collection of Milan.

Apart from his exceptional work in the art world, Galliano has also collaborated with esteemed musicians, directors, and writers over the years, further elevating his already celebrated reputation.

www.ftn-books.com has several p[ublications on Galliano now available.

Renowned as the world’s leading magical realist painter, sculptor, and lithographer, Michael Parkes has achieved remarkable success in the modern art world. Today, he remains highly sought after in both the primary and secondary markets, with his works actively collected by celebrities, esteemed private collectors, and galleries around the globe. His oeuvre appeals to all ages.

It’s worth mentioning that his first solo show was held in Amsterdam in 1977. Since then, Michael Parkes has exhibited in renowned venues such as Basel Art in Switzerland, Art Chicago, Art Fair NY, Frankfurt Bookfair, Amsterdam Art Fair, Tefaf Art and Antiques Fair Maastricht, and numerous exhibits in various galleries in Amsterdam and New York since 1977.

Born in 1944 in the post-war era, Michael Parkes is a quintessential member of the hippie generation. While studying graphic art and painting at the University of Kansas, he developed his unique style. Perhaps his decision to abandon art and travel to India in search of philosophical enlightenment influenced this. Prior to his hiatus, Michael Parkes had painted in the commonly used abstract expressionist style among his teachers. However, after his period of contemplation, he began drawing and painting in a meticulous style of intricate depiction that enabled him to fully express his inner world of images.

Primarily realistic in nature, his subject matter has a magical quality, and this has defined his work as magical realism ever since.

Having extensively studied the esoteric teachings of both the East and West, Michael Parkes’ visual language draws from a range of wisdom, including the Kabbalistic and Tantric, but embodies forms from his own imagination that are immediately accessible. Here, strange creatures meet mysterious landscapes, blurring the line between fantasy and reality.

www.ftn-books.com has a great selection of Parkes publications availabe.

Coen Vernooij crafts both freestanding sculptures and wall sculptures. Both are composed of delicate metal rods, adorned with iron mica paint or powder coating. The rods demarcate a space, one yet to be fulfilled. In terms of form, they are highly lucid abstractions, reduced to their ultimate essence. At first, it may seem that one can take in everything at a glance. However, upon further inspection, this is not necessarily the case. Where am I exactly? Is this inside or outside? Does it serve as a boundary for a space, or does the space evolve from within the sculpture itself? The standing sculptures must remain free-standing and can be placed both indoors and outdoors. One must be able to walk around them. Shadows of the lines join in the game. With every step taken, the image changes in unpredictable ways.

Is Vernooij a constructivist, or rather a romantic? At first glance, the works seem meticulously measured, exhibiting a constructivist approach. However, the openness of the pieces also evokes a longing for distant lands. And that is romantic. Vernooij’s work can perhaps be described as ‘Zen’. Detached from longing, but also detached from calculated construction. The work is abstract, yet not strictly rational or formalistic. Vernooij pushes the boundaries of reality. He moves within the realm where reality and illusion meet. Fragments of sound, whiffs of scent, interrupted conversations, gentle touches. Experiences that, as Coen puts it, demand to be completed. He gives these heightened moments an equivalent in visual form. What insight does this translation to line sculpture offer? Fragile, light, and open works. Beautiful in their simplicity and penetrating in their complexity. Is that the message? What appears simple may actually be complex. And what may seem complex can be reduced to simplicity.

Since 2000, Vernooij has had over 40 exhibitions in various locations, primarily in the Netherlands.

www.ftn-books.com has one Vernooij publication available

Conceptual artist Mischa Kuball has devoted his craft to the realms of public and institutional spheres since 1977. As a master of utilizing light as a medium, he delves into the depths of architectural spaces, exploring social and political discourses. With a keen eye for detail, he reflects on various aspects, from the intricacies of sociocultural structures to the impact of architectural interventions, highlighting and reinterpreting their significance in the grand narrative of architectural history. In his politically motivated participation projects, public and private spaces seamlessly merge, creating an ambiguous whole. Serving as a platform for communication between the audience, the artist, and the artwork itself, these projects bring to life the power and influence of public spaces.

Since 2007, Mischa Kuball has held the esteemed position of Professor for public art at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne. Prior to that, from 2006 to 2008, he served as a professor for media art at the Hochschule für Gestaltung/ZKM in Karlsruhe. In 2015, he was elected a member of the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences, Humanities and the Arts in Duesseldorf, a prestigious honor befitting his contributions to the artistic world. In 2016, he was awarded the esteemed German Light Award, a testament to his mastery of utilizing light as a medium in his artistic endeavors.

www.ftn-books.com has one Kuball title available

Hélio Oiticica (1937 – 1980) is widely regarded as one of Brazil’s most prominent artists of the twentieth century, serving as a touchstone for contemporary art since the 1960s. His oeuvre is primarily characterized by freewheeling, participatory creations, including performative environments, cutting-edge films, and abstract paintings. At the tender age of 20, Oiticica was already a significant member of the legendary Rio de Janeiro-based Grupo Frente (1954-56), his bold experimentation with geometric shapes and vibrant hues transcending the simplistic lines of European constructivism and imbuing his work with a lively rhythm that echoed the avant-garde music and poetry of his native Brazil. In the late 1950s, Oiticica would continue to emerge as a leading figure of Brazilian Neo-Concretism (1959-61), alongside other groundbreaking artists such as Lygia Clark, Lygia Pape, and poet Ferreira Gullar. This would eventually pave the way for the emergence of the artistic movement known as Tropicalismo, named after Oiticica’s iconic 1967 work.

As time went on, Oiticica became increasingly emblematic of counterculture and an underground hero, prioritizing physical interaction and concerns regarding space and environment over mere aesthetics. As he eloquently stated, “Ambient art is the revolution against the traditional concept of painting and sculpture – things of the past. It gives rise to the creation of ‘ambiences’: from there comes what I call ‘anti-art’,” a concept he would later define as “the era of popular participation in the creative realm.” This generous and dynamic approach would greatly influence future generations of artists, particularly in his noteworthy Parangolés, or “livable paintings,” and comprehensive series of installations known as Núcleos (ceilings adorned with geometric panels, creating gradual chromatic experiences) and Propositions or Penetrables (intricate, maze-like architectural environments constructed with sand and semi-permeable cabins). This multi-sensory approach continued until his unfortunate passing in 1980 at the young age of 42.

www.ftn-books.com has some Oiticica titles available.

The Chinese-Dutch artist has been greatly honored for his illustrations, which have influenced contemporary Dutch illustrators. He has won three Golden Brushes and his interactive picture book “Where is the Cake?” was awarded the 2005 Woutertje Pieterse Prize. In addition, he received the prestigious Max Velthuijsprijs in 2010, the most important Dutch lifetime achievement award for illustrators.

While initially starting out as a comic book artist, Thé Tjong King is best known as a draftsman and illustrator. A true storyteller at heart, he needs a narrative in order to create his art. He has even created several (picture) books without any text, fully allowing himself to unleash his imagination in his illustrations. His narrative drawings are filled with action, a blend of intricate details and seemingly naive depictions that have made his work immensely popular.

www.ftn-books.com has several Tjong Khing items now available.

Bob Lens was a versatile artist proficient in various techniques. His oeuvre encompassed painting, graphic art, photography, video, project art, (interior) architecture, urban planning, portraits, and set design. In collaboration with Ray Staakman, he even developed kinetic objects, showcasing them at an international exhibition in London in 1964. In the 1970s, his paintings depicted themes from everyday life: realistic cityscapes, architecture, and such, in a visual language reminiscent of hyperrealism. But he also created series of stunning landscapes, foliage, and groupings of trees using brush and spray paint. In 1976, the artist exhibited such works at the Haags Gemeentemuseum (Haagse ateliers no. XXXIII), grouped under the term Figurative Abstraction by Philip Peters in the accompanying publication. Later on, Lens’ works showcased stricter compositions and more abstract forms. I recall his masks as two-dimensional spatial objects, at times so abstract in shape that it was a challenge to recognize a human face within them. He even made a video about them, a moving painting of masks following a set pattern. In 1988, the Franklin Furnace gallery in New York organized a mask exhibition called “Bags as Masks.”

Bob Lens had a passion for design. In 1965, he designed a pop art-style tie for the Book Ball, a colossal plaid with striking figures that made waves. After placing ads in Hitweek, he designed more models that sold like hotcakes for three riksen. Several (Hague) bands adorned themselves with his ties. And in passing, he also designed the colorful cover for Barry Hay’s first solo LP. He also created posters for MOJO events and the Haagse CPC Run.

www.ftn-books.com has several Lens publications available.

Johan van Reede embodied the artistry of sculpting, printmaking, photography, and painting. He pursued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rotterdam. In addition to creating monumental works such as reliefs and murals, he also delved into painting, graphic art, and steel sculptures. In 1991, a comprehensive exhibition of his works was held at the Centre for Visual Arts in Rotterdam. An expansive wall mural was also created by him for Dijkzigt Hospital (Erasmus MC). Rotterdam served as his primary home and workplace, although he also spent time in Sevilla (Spain) and Paris (France) for artistic inspiration, journeying through the Sahara.

Reder sharpened his musical talents in London and Manchester, eventually branching out into the dramatic arts in Paris. He holds a master’s degree with honors in Cultural Memory from the esteemed Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies at the University of London.

www.ftn-books.com has 1 van Reede title available.

Throughout his lifetime, primarily working in his studios in Berlin, Germany and Nong Khai, Thailand, Albrecht Genin (Oldenburg 1945 – Berlin 2013) has built an impressive body of work. Far removed from artistic trends, museums, art critics, and galleries, Genin transformed the realities of life into livable fantasies. From the beginning, Genin chose printed materials such as bibles, law books, maps, sheet music, and cash books as his canvas. His works are visualizations of the stories he encountered during his travels in countries such as Germany, Thailand, and Afghanistan. These journeys across oceans are reflected in his exhibition, Ocean Stories.

Simplicity
Genin’s aim is to simplify the complex world. Not from a philosophical “back to nature” standpoint, but simply because the world is already complex enough. This desire is illustrated in his work. All of his artwork is simplified and directly put onto paper. Genin did not enjoy working on a blank canvas and preferred to use printed materials such as a page from a bible, sheet music, a geographical map, or an old law book.

When using sheet music, Genin would begin with a single line, but then develop it into a figure. The practical size of books gave him the ability to make sketches in Thailand and later expand upon them in his studio in Berlin. In his paper works, Genin primarily used black oil paint or India ink.

He believed that color isolates the development of an image, as opposed to the foundation. Starting with color would distract from the image being formed in black and abstract. Beginning with a black base allows for the focus to remain solely on the composition.

ww.ftn-books.com has several Genin titles available