FTN-blog

Mark Tobey was born on December 11, 1890, in Centerville, Wisconsin. He spent two years from 1906 to 1908 attending Saturday classes at The Art Institute of Chicago. In 1911, he relocated to the bustling city of New York, taking up a position as a fashion illustrator for McCall’s magazine. It was there that he held his inaugural solo exhibition at M. Knoedler & Co. five years later in 1917.

In 1918, Tobey’s conversion to the Baha’i World Faith fostered a newfound exploration of the spiritual in art. By 1922, he had moved to Seattle and started his tenure as a teacher at the Cornish School of Allied Arts. It was also during this time that he began delving into the art of Chinese calligraphy. While in Paris in 1925, Tobey embarked upon a lifetime of travels. It was during a trip to the Middle East in 1926 that he discovered a deep interest in both Persian and Arabic script. After returning to Seattle in 1928, Tobey became a co-founder of the Free and Creative Art School. His artistic journey continued with a residency at Dartington Hall in Devonshire, England from 1931 to 1938. During this period, he frequently traveled to Mexico, the United States, and the Orient. In 1934, Tobey spent a month in a Zen monastery outside of Kyoto, leading him to create his renowned “white writing” paintings the following year. These works were first exhibited at the Willard Gallery in New York in 1944, and Tobey continued to showcase his art there regularly.

In 1938, Tobey returned to Seattle, where he delved into painting, teaching, and music, focusing on the piano and music theory. He drew inspiration from Seattle’s bustling open-air market, resulting in a series of paintings during this period. In both 1940 and 1946, the Arts Club of Chicago showcased solo exhibitions of Tobey’s work. In 1945, he received the prestigious opportunity of a solo show at the Portland Museum of Art in Oregon. Invited by Josef Albers, Tobey acted as a guest critic of graduate art students’ work at Yale University for three months in 1951. That same year, his first retrospective was held at the imposing palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. A solo exhibition held at the Galerie Jeanne Bucher in Paris in 1955 further solidified Tobey’s standing as an artist. In 1956, he was elected to the esteemed National Institute of Arts and Letters and was bestowed with the Guggenheim International Award. The following year, Tobey transformed his approach to Sumi ink paintings, which garnered critical acclaim for his ingenuity. He was also recognized for his talent at the Venice Biennale, where he received the City of Venice painting prize in 1957. After settling in Basel in 1960, Tobey’s oeuvre was celebrated with his first solo exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 1961, an unprecedented honor for an American painter. In 1962, The Museum of Modern Art in New York held a solo presentation of Tobey’s work, followed by another at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 1966. The National Collection of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. presented a major retrospective of Tobey’s work in 1974. Tobey passed away in Basel on April 24, 1976, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking and original artwork.

www.ftn-books.com has several Tobey titles available.

David Klamen (American, b. 1961) is a contemporary painter whose artistic endeavors evolve in tandem with his love for literature and philosophy. His focus surrounds the probing questions, “How do we acquire knowledge?” and “How do we obtain understanding?”

Klamen’s painting style encompasses both figurative and abstract approaches, at times harmonizing the two by incorporating geometric lines or patterns onto his meticulously finished landscapes. He sees the abstract element as a fourth dimension in this context. His work exudes a contemplative and tranquil essence, engaging the audience in profound tonal values and exquisite control. The viewer is compelled to take a second look and delve deeper into the complexity of each piece.

In his most recent series, “Meta-paintings,” Klamen delves into the perspectives of other artists and viewers, isolating historically significant pieces of artwork in situ, shifting them at sharp angles, and reimagining them with foreshortened perspectives. Each iteration involves upwards of twenty artworks arranged in a salon-style manner to create a large-scale multi-canvas installation.

Klamen obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana in 1983, followed by his Master of Fine Arts in Painting from the School of the Art Institute Chicago in 1985. Currently, he serves as a Professor of Fine Arts at Indiana University Northwest, and resides and works in Chicago.

www.ftn-books.com has Klamen titles available.

A few years ago i first published a b;og on the packaging of the FRIETHOES fries. Last month i noticed that the inside was changed with another Swarte drawing. Impossible to remove this without damaging the drawing but still important for all Swarte admirers i share this to make this available for everyone.

For more Swarte material please visit my site at www.ftn-books.com

Crafting his films, Jeroen Eisinga (born in Delft in 1966) presents the viewer with a trial without resolution more than once. As long as the film lasts, there is no escape, redemption, clarification, or climax. Thus, the audience is confronted with their helplessness. Despite believing that they have control over their lives, intervention is not always possible. Eisinga states, “Art should elevate an experience, I try to capture a moment that strikes you before you think about it.”

In Distant Sheep (1997), a sheep breathes heavily, as it lies on its back. Unable to turn itself over, the sheep will die without intervention. For the viewer, it remains unclear how the film ends – there is only the moment. The audience is a forced witness, unable to intervene.

Human drama and emotions play a crucial role in Eisinga’s body of work. He describes his pieces as romantic. In Springtime (2011), we see how a swarm of bees takes over Eisinga for twenty minutes, burying his head and bare chest. With this film, Eisinga realizes the sublime moment in which discomfort and pleasure coincide. The fear of experiencing reality is intertwined with the beauty of that same experience.

The romantic notion is also present in the film Longing from 2004. A dead zebra lies on a black and white checkered floor. Eisinga captures the process of decay, the beauty of deterioration. Eisinga explains:

“The German word Longing does not refer to a place or a person, and moreover, it can refer to something that has been but also to something that has never been. It is, therefore, more abstract. My film is about this absence, the emptiness, something that is not there, the hiatus, and the pain felt because of it. It is about the pain of not knowing. If you can study an ‘object in itself,’ then I try to study ‘the absence of that object.’ It is, therefore, about missing, not knowing.

www.ftn-books.com has ten van Abbemuseum title on Eisinga now available.

Charles Nypels was born on October 31, 1895 at 38 Grote Staat in Maastricht. In 1905, the Nypels family moved to 3 Minckelersstraat, which is still the location of the printing and publishing house Leiter-Nypels. Charles’ father sent him to the Lettergieterij Amsterdam as a volunteer in 1917 for “higher education,” where he came under the supervision of S.H. de Roos. However, his interest in the printing industry was not of such high quality for him to inspire much trust and expectation for typographical development. Amsterdam with its many facets of life and culture appealed to him more than the letter case and the press. Later, back in Maastricht, he could hardly appreciate his job at the office with a meager weekly salary. In April 1918, he wrote, “The terrible cold shower of being thrown into an office after a particularly peaceful and strict upbringing, constantly in the company of headache-inducing machines and annoying telephone ringing, while the other residents are nothing but number-magicians, in which magic I had to become proficient as well. At first, such a business seems like a chaos of idiots and it takes a while before one masters the situation. That’s where I am now.”

During that time, he showed more interest in literature, especially French literature, and prints, and there were hardly any signs of the future master printer. Nevertheless, the constant communication with De Roos must have borne fruit. Charles began to turn his knowledge of typography and literature into printing plans. It did not stop at plans, as evidenced by his first printing of Poésies by De Nerval in 1920, more than just a successful attempt. On June 3, 1920, he wrote, having realized his abilities, “There is so much to do for a simple book.”

www.ftn-books.com has several Nypels titles available.

When Dierk Maass embarks on his expeditions and picks up his camera, the experience and challenge of pushing his own physical and mental limits become a crucial prerequisite for his artistic process. The hours spent hiking in high altitudes, where the air is gradually taken away with each step, reduce the focus to the essential. This is evident in the artist’s minimalistic photo equipment, which usually only includes two to three lenses and never a tripod. It is also reflected in his portraits and landscape shots. Even the titles of his works are limited to the essential: they simply give the GPS coordinates of where they were taken.

The essential remains. In the series SENSE° OF ‘DISTANCE“, INCIDENT° OF ‘LIGHT“, and HIGHWAY° TO‘ HEAVEN”, the self-taught artist plays with intentional overexposure and partial blurriness. Backgrounds disappear, outlines become blurred, and colors become important points of reference. The essential remains. HIGHWAY° TO‘ HEAVEN“ reveals the many elements of the lovingly constructed memorial sites, known as Animitas, along the busy Pan-American Highway. The camera’s focus is on what reminds people of those who are no longer with us.

TENSION° OF‘ SECLUSION“ captures abandoned, inhospitable areas. Nature reclaims what was once hers: overgrown buildings and machinery, as well as untouched lagoons, surreal color schemes, and breathtaking landscapes bear witness to the traces of human civilization.

What has always been and will remain for a long time to come: the secluded Dolpo region in Nepal. The originality and authenticity of the people there have captivated Dierk Maass, inspiring him to create a series titled SHADES° OF‘ DOLPO“. The weather-beaten face of an old woman that reflects the barren landscape and the demanding living conditions; Sherpas who proudly defy the high altitudes and extreme temperatures, and the land itself.

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

Jules Chéret (born May 31, 1836, Paris, France—died September 23, 1932, Nice) was a skilled French poster illustrator and graphic designer, earning him the title of “the father of the modern poster.”

After completing an apprenticeship in lithography in 1849 and honing his drawing skills, Chéret received his first major commission in 1858 for Jacques Offenbach’s operetta Orpheus in the Underworld. From 1859 to 1866, he continued to create posters and book jackets in London, and also designed packages for perfume manufacturer Eugène Rimmel. With Rimmel’s support, Chéret opened his own lithography firm in Paris in 1866.

This move allowed Chéret to maintain full artistic control and develop a revolutionary approach to design. Unlike most lithographers at the time who had artists create designs that were then copied onto a stone by skilled craftsman, Chéret worked directly on the stone. He used bold brushstrokes, crosshatching, stippling, and watercolor-like washes to create dynamic images. Over time, his style shifted from the intricate decorations of the Victorian era to a more dynamic style, characterized by central figures, hand-lettered titles, simplified backgrounds, and vibrant colors and textures. Chéret drew inspiration from various sources, including the whimsical romances of Rococo painters Antoine Watteau and Jean-Honoré Fragonard, the intense compositions of Baroque painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, and the flat colors and stylized lines of Japanese woodblock prints.

Widely recognized as “the father of the modern poster,” Chéret’s influence on the medium continues to be felt today. In this rewritten text, we see a skilled French poster illustrator and graphic designer, known for his innovative approach to design, and admired for his use of unique artistic influences and techniques.

In 1890, the French government bestowed upon Chéret the Legion of Honour, commending his contributions to the progression of printing and his aid to the world of commerce and industry through the creation of a unique art form. Throughout his illustrious career, Chéret crafted over a thousand posters promoting music halls, theaters, artists, and various products such as drinks, medicines, and lamp oil. His influence extended to a distinguished group of graphic designers and artists, including Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Alphonse Mucha, who were inspired by his groundbreaking work.

www.ftn-books.com has a title om Cheret available/

Serge Charchoune, a visual artist and author, hailing from Russia in 1888, but eventually settling in France, where his life journey reached its conclusion in 1975. Charchoune’s pursuit of artistic expression led him to Paris, where he found solace after deserting from the Russian army in 1912. Initially drawn to Cubism, he soon became infatuated with Dadaism, after connecting with renowned figures such as André Breton, Max Ernst, Tristan Tzara, and Francis Picabia upon his return from seeking refuge in Barcelona during World War I. While his attempt at establishing his own Dada movement in Paris proved futile, Charchoune’s lasting contribution to the movement remains his poem Foule immobile, translated from Russian to French with the assistance of Philippe Soupault. This dadaist masterpiece, titled Foule immobile, comprised of 9 rounds for 25 voices, embodies the radical spirit of the movement. As described by Felix Philipp Ingold in his introduction to the work, it bears resemblance to the early surrealist experiment of cadavre exquis. Illustrated by Charchoune himself, the poem was first published in 1921; however, despite its intended purpose of being sung, it was never performed. In 1922, Charchoune embarked on a trip to Berlin with the intent of returning to his home country, Russia. In the German capital, he established his own Dada group, held an exhibition at Herwarth Walden’s Der Sturm gallery, and met fellow artists Theo van Doesburg and El Lissitzky. However, there is no evidence of his involvement with the radical Berlin dadaists of that time. Disgusted by the stories of the atrocities of the Russian Revolution, Charchoune chose to make a comeback to Paris in 1923. There, he charted his own artistic course, drawing inspiration from Dadaism, Surrealism, and Constructivism, culminating in the publication of forty books between 1924 and 1975, the year of his passing.

www.ftn-books.com has Charcoune titles available

Hans Hofmann (1880–1966) holds a significant position in postwar American art. He is widely praised for his lively, vibrant canvases and acclaimed as a profound mentor for generations of artists, beginning in his homeland of Germany and later in New York and Provincetown. Hofmann’s influence was vital in the development of Abstract Expressionism.

From 1900 to 1930, Hofmann explored and studied in Munich and Paris before returning to Munich. In 1933, he moved to New York and then to Provincetown, where he remained for the next forty years. Throughout this time, Hofmann’s transition from distinguished art instructor to pivotal modern artist brought him into the circle of prominent figures in twentieth century art, such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Wassily Kandinsky, Betty Parsons, Peggy Guggenheim, Sonia and Robert Delaunay, Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock, and many others. His thriving career was guided by the postwar modern art dealer Sam Kootz, cemented by the art historian and critic Clement Greenberg, and solidified by the unwavering support of his first wife, Maria “Miz” Wolfegg (1885-1963).

Upon reaching the age of 64, Hofmann debuted his first solo exhibition at Art of This Century in New York in 1944. Despite the demands of his teaching career, he dedicated himself to painting until the closure of his school in 1956. This shift in focus allowed for a renewal of his artistic pursuits during the height of the Abstract Expressionism movement. Over the next two decades, Hofmann’s extensive body of work was heavily influenced by Matisse’s use of vibrant colors and Cubism’s unconventional approach to form. He coined his own artistic theory, known as “push and pull,” which emphasized the interconnectedness of form, color, and space.

From his initial landscapes of the 1930s, to his later “slab” paintings of the 1950s, and his abstract pieces towards the end of his life in 1966, Hofmann continuously pushed the boundaries with his experimental color combinations and formal contrasts, transcending traditional genres and styles.

www.ftn-books.com has Hoffmann titles available