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Marian Plug (1937)

My mother had aspired to become a painter, though it never quite materialized. Yet her originality and intense gaze were evident. On Sundays, she would assist my brother and me with painting, each of us on opposite sides of the table.

The training for art teachers, located in the gardens of the Rijksmuseum, was timeless. It was the second half of the 1950s, as if nothing was happening at all. It exuded contentment. We studied Dufy, memorized the floor plans of cathedrals, and took trips to Paris. In our art appreciation class, Mark Kolthoff taught us to observe the classics. After school, we would paint each other or hire a model. It was a thorough education, emanating a sense of calm. In the world of visual arts, it seemed as though nothing was happening. No Documenta or major American artists were making waves here. At the Stedelijk Museum, there was Tinguely, another example of complacency. Art had yet to become a mass-produced commodity. Of course, this peace and solidity were a strong foundation for the profession, but it took a long time to break free from them. For years, I continued to make beautiful etchings – on a shoemaker’s press from the Waterlooplein – with the feeling that I had all the time in the world.

My first exhibition was in 1963 at the Anne Frank House, organized by friends as encouragement after a long illness. The opening speech by Dick Hillenius was about dowsers, who reminded him of artists, myself included. What is made visible is different from what is seen. The artist sees more than others – ultraviolet, infrared, or inaudible knocking signals. At the end of the speech, there were sounds of whales in the sea.

Fortunately, the romantic image back then – that the artist sees more than others, pleasing as it may be for everyone – is now a thing of the past.

From an autobiographical note (1989).

www.ftn-books.com has several Marian Plug titles now available.

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Marijke van Warmerdam (1959)

In the beginning, Marijke van Warmerdam crafted sculptures encompassing a wide array of mediums: wood, plaster, metal, glass, textiles, and rubber. However, her artistic pursuits have since expanded to a diverse repertoire, incorporating video, photography, audiotape, silkscreen, and even wrapping paper and stickers. Through her commissions and installations, she delves into the realm of intangibility, boldly experimenting with concepts such as time and movement. This is most apparent in her 16-mm films, where she chooses and captures moments from life, setting them into fluid motion.

For instance, in “Handstand” (1992) a girl can be seen repeatedly performing a handstand, while in “Douche” (1995) a man stands under a shower, the actions playing out ad infinitum. The films are presented in a continuous loop, with no discernible beginning or end, seamlessly connecting the two. The duration between the return of the exact image is intentionally ambiguous, creating a mesmerizing rhythm that draws the viewer into the enthralling world of repetition. Observation turns into fixation, as the repetition conjures a sense of enchantment while simultaneously diminishing the significance of the actions being shown. Time simultaneously moves forward and stands still, as there is no overarching narrative to follow. The focus is on the process, not the storytelling.

Despite their close resemblance to reality, these short films exist in the realm of art, specifically in the museum setting. They are projected onto a white wall or screen within the exhibition space, rather than a typical movie theater. The projector is always visible, emphasizing the artifice of the medium. As a viewer, you physically move through the projections, further blurring the line between the art and reality. It’s as though you’re entering a liminal space, but never fully immersing yourself.

www.ftn-books.com has several van Warmerdam titles now available.

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Marten Toonder (1912-2005)

Marten Toonder (1912-2005) was first introduced to comics at the young age of six, when his father, a sea captain, brought back some American newspapers. After graduating in 1931, Toonder traveled by boat to South America. In Buenos Aires, he discovered the work of cartoonist Dante Quinterno. This former employee of Walt Disney published a written drawing course; it was from him that Toonder learned the foundations of animation and comic anatomy, inspiring him to become a comic artist.

Upon his return to the Netherlands, Toonder became an illustrator for a printing and publishing company in Leiden. After several attempts at creating comics for newspapers, he got his first break in 1941 when he was asked to supply a daily comic to De Telegraaf. The editor at the time wanted captions with the drawings (instead of balloons, which would encourage laziness in reading), and Toonder provided illustrations and texts for his new comic, Tom Poes. Toonder stopped in 1944 but continued the story in the Volkskrant and later NRC Handelsblad. He continued to create new episodes until 1986, with a total of 177 stories covering 11,768 daily installments. The comic became one of the longest-running comics by a single author.

The success of Tom Poes paved the way for various other productions, including plays, ballets, compositions, films, and a wide range of commercial articles. To bring these to fruition, Toonder continued to run the studio he established during the war. In the post-war years, this studio grew to become one of Europe’s largest drawing studios. However, with increasing business activities encroaching upon his creative work, Toonder made the decision to move to Ireland in 1965 to devote himself to his comic strip. In addition to Tom Poes, he also designed other comic strips, wrote poetry, autobiographies, and created illustrations for various purposes. He even produced short experimental films using different techniques.

www.ftn-books.com has several Toonder titles available. among them the much acclaimed biography on Toonder.

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Harm Brink (1947)

Harm Brink was born in 1947, molded by the creative inspiration of the 1960s. The unparalleled reach and influence of this decade permeated throughout the world, evoking both faith and fury. It sparked a surge of new ideologies and movements that were nothing short of revolutionary. Embedded within the context of the Cold War, which left an indelible mark on a global scale, the 1960s were characterized by the Iron Curtain physically and spiritually dividing Europe, culminating in the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. Gender, race, justice, education, and morality were all redefined by this era, evident in the civil rights movement and the second wave of feminism, as well as student uprisings. The era also saw a dramatic rise in mass consumerism, leading to new strategies in marketing and advertising. A core concept of Minimalism was the belief that art should exist in its own realm, unbound by the constraints of the real world. This avant-garde movement aimed to dismantle all preconceptions about art, gaining global recognition and influencing artists such as Frank Stella, Donald Judd, and Dan Flavin as prominent figures. Minimalism’s impact was further amplified by the works of Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley, while Pop art emerged as a critique and celebration of popular culture. The contemporary art scene was marked by a surge of radicalism in the 1960s, and each movement had its distinct characteristics and reach, varying across different regions and countries. Spatialism originated in Italy under the guidance of Lucio Fontana and Piero Manzoni, and was later embraced by the Zero group in Germany. In Europe, artists like Francis Bacon and Alberto Giacometti were strongly influenced by the ideologies of Existentialism, as seen in their depictions of the human figure.

www.ftn-books.com has the van Abbemuseum catalog now available and ……i am sorry . i could not find any portrait of the artist available.

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Yona Friedman (1923-2019)

Yona Friedman is renowned as an influential figure in the avant-garde urbanism movement of the 1960s. His most notable contribution is the idea of a Spatial City, also known as “La Ville Spatiale” (1956), which aimed to offer the utmost flexibility through the use of “megastructures” placed above existing cities and other locations. The inhabitants would have the opportunity to design their own living spaces within these structures. Friedman’s goal was to equip people from all corners of the world with the tools and foundational structures necessary to shape their own living environments, empowering them with greater independence and self-reliance.

www.ftn-books.com has the scarce FRIEDMAN book published by NAi now available.

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Tina Onna (1948)

The work of Eindhoven artist Tina van Onna focuses on developing creative processes that place a significant emphasis on consciousness and spirituality. In December and January, she created three abstract wall paintings in geometric patterns on the walls of Atelier 2. These paintings include “Mirror of the Self,” “Mirror of Our Interactions,” and a Red Circle that expresses how people can interact in an ideal situation. Van Onna held two workshops in which she guided participants through breathing and listening exercises to connect with themselves and each other. Afterwards, the participants were encouraged to communicate about how they interact with themselves and others, and to document their experiences on paper. The project culminated in a final performance, which was attended by the participants and other interested individuals. By using unique vocabulary and employing synonyms and antonyms, this revised text showcases the intricacies of both enigmatic complexity and linguistic dynamism, crafting a captivating and truly original piece of writing.

www.ftn-books.com has the poster made for the Ingrid Blom Foundation now available.

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Giampaolo Babetto (1947)

Since the mid 1960s, Giampaolo Babetto has been a leading figure in the Avant-Garde goldsmiths’ scene. As one of the renowned veterans of the Padua School, he has greatly influenced the world of art jewellery in Italy and beyond. His artistic range extends beyond jewellery, encompassing silver objects, furniture design, and architectural projects.

Each piece of jewellery I create becomes a part of me. It is a constant challenge because it must be a living object, not just a display piece, and it must radiate even more beauty when adorned on a woman’s neck, wrist, or fingers. – Giampaolo Babetto

Babetto’s work is a reflection of various contemporary art movements such as concrete art, minimal art, kinetic art, and pop art, all created with a purist and plastic approach. His designs are instantly recognizable for their simplicity and clean lines. He draws inspiration from the architecture of his homeland, particularly the villas by Palladio, and finds poetic beauty in geometry. His jewellery is innovative, made up of abstract elements, modular units, or ingenious links, giving them an architectural or sculptural quality. Babetto’s preferred medium is gold, known for its malleability and warm sheen, which he combines with unconventional materials like plastic, glass, and ebony. He also incorporates vibrant primary colors like red and blue through dusted pigments or uses enamel and traditional niello-based techniques. These materials serve to highlight and contrast the increasingly pure and essential geometrical forms that are synonymous with the Padua School.

The artist attains an individual artistic lexicon in which the utilization of geometric shapes is directed towards complete minimalism, with keen attention on the concept stripped of all mere ornamentation. For Babetto, the approach is systematic, introspective, and logical; its execution, on the other hand, is impulsive, swift, and impassioned. “I am a fusion of rationality and spontaneity. When a concept or idea consumes my mind, I strive to actualize it in the most direct manner possible. Once I have discovered the mechanism, I dedicate myself entirely to its swift achievement.” The outcome is compositions brought to the farthest point of form and line, enabling viewers to instantly perceive the formal tension and impact of the design. Each one exudes his passions, his adoration for architecture, and his exceptional eye for detail.

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

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Edwin Zwakman (1969)

In his response to the excessive proliferation of images that bombard us daily and fabricate a simulated reality (as seen in the CNN coverage of the Gulf War), Edwin Zwakman crafts a carefully constructed, fictional scenario that nonetheless appears undeniably real. He employs clever tricks and fabricates falsehoods to reveal uncomfortable truths, in sharp contrast to the overt lies perpetuated by those in positions of power. Though power and authority are hinted at rather than explicitly portrayed, their stereotypical presence adds a potent impact. These pervasive stereotypes have been ingrained in our collective consciousness, which Zwakman masterfully juxtaposes to create contradictory scenes that stir up previously undefined but vaguely familiar anxieties. Through this dissonance between images, he unveils the true depth and magnitude of the abyss that lies just beneath the surface.

www.ftn-books.com has the van Abbemuseum catalog Façades now available.

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Herman Bogman (1890-1975)

A true artist is capable of reinventing themselves, exploring paths that breathe new life into their artistic expression. Herman Bogman (1890-1975) did just that. His career can be neatly divided into two distinct parts. The young Bogman painted in oil, but around his fiftieth year, he boldly abandoned the medium. For the remaining 35 years of his life, he produced almost exclusively watercolor paintings. This is where his true mastery lies. While his oil paintings were skillfully crafted pieces that attracted eager buyers, his watercolors were on a much higher level. They were boldly painted, with a sparkling play of light, and in a subtle palette. The smaller pieces possess a great deal of intimacy, while the larger compositions are boldly composed.

Bogman frequently discussed his new beginning in interviews:

“You simply didn’t know what could be achieved with watercolor. It wasn’t until I turned fifty that I permanently closed my paint box. Watercolor can have the same ‘carrying ability’, the same depth of color as paint on canvas. But I had to work very hard for it. Why were we so attached to oil paint in the Netherlands? I believe it’s because of our thoroughness. We were completely mistaken…”

And that feeling was correct. In the last 35 years of his life, he would create the most beautiful part of his body of work using this technique.

www.ftn-books.com has currently 2 Bogman titles available.

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JP Kloos (1905-2001)

The birthplace of Jan Piet Kloos was Schiedam. He pursued studies in civil engineering at MTS in Utrecht, later continuing his education in Amsterdam during evening hours. At his day job, he worked under the direction of architect G.J. Langhout. Around 1927, he was involved with the construction of the Zonnestraal sanatorium in Hilversum; a Modernist masterpiece by Jan Duiker, where he served as an overseer and draftsman. Kloos himself also embraced the principles of functionalism.

In 1932, he established his own architectural firm. During this time, he occasionally collaborated with colleague Holt. Especially after the war, Kloos received numerous commissions for schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and residential buildings. One of his noteworthy projects in Amsterdam was the Kabouterhuis (1952) on Amsteldijk, a daycare center for young children.

He combined the functionalist approach of the Nieuwe Bouwen movement with mass-production techniques, yet managed to avoid creating monotonous structures. In literature, his housing project on Dijkgraafplein in Amsterdam, featuring suspension bridges, is often cited as an example of this.

www.ftn-books.com has the most important book on Kloos now available.