FTN-blog

Yang’s oeuvre comprises installations, utilizing a wide array of attributes and incorporating elements of performance. These meticulously timed choreographies come to life through the use of video, objects, light, and sound. Atmospheric effects, such as smoke, rain, and foam, further enhance the creation of a real and artificial world. Connecting the attributes to narrative elements, Yang engages all senses of the viewer, allowing them to see the world through a different lens. Her observations, colored by her background as the daughter of Singaporean-Chinese immigrants in the Netherlands and growing up without a mother tongue, manifest into associative and mysterious works.

In addition, she constantly seeks to discover new crafts, materials, and techniques. This ongoing exploration continuously benefits the development of her installations. She considers herself a “friendly manipulator,” utilizing the same strategies of manipulation employed by media and commercial advertisements. Through this, she hopes to have found a form that seamlessly navigates between cultures, languages, and forms of art. This leads to a sense of optimism and humor.

www.ftn-books.com has now the KM21 invitation for her exhibition for sale.

In the 19th century, Max Liebermann (1847-1935) cultivated a special relationship with the Netherlands. This German artist would annually venture to Holland, drawing inspiration for his paintings from this charming country. His fondness for the place eventually led to the establishment of close bonds with artists from the Hague School.

Between 1870 and 1914, Liebermann, accompanied by his dear friend Jozef Israels, spent his summers in the Netherlands. Together, they captured the trendsetting lifestyle emerging during that era. On canvas, they depicted outdoor cafes bustling with patrons basking in the sun, as well as riders and bathers on the beach. By then, Liebermann had acquired fame in his homeland of Germany and beyond, renowned for his paintings adorned with “sunspots.” In 1920, he was bestowed the prestigious position of director at the Berlin academy. However, towards the end of his life, Hitler’s rise to power forced him to relinquish this role. Nevertheless, even after his demise, Liebermann remained a beloved artist among the German public.

www.ftn-books.com has several Liebermann titles now available.

Roger Ballen graced the world with his presence in the bustling city of New York in 1950. However, for over three decades, he has been immersed in life and work in the vibrant landscape of South Africa. As a geologist, Ballen often found himself exploring the vast countryside, leading him to pick up his trusty camera and dive into the mysterious realm of small South African towns. Initially, he wandered the desolate streets, bathed in the harsh rays of the midday sun. But once he gathered the courage to knock on the doors of the townfolk, a whole new world unfolded before him. These interiors, with their unique amalgam of objects, and the enigmatic occupants within, served as the catalyst for Ballen’s distinctive perspective, taking his body of work from societal commentary to evocative metaphors for the inner psyche.

In his artistic journey, Ballen has become increasingly enamored with the interplay between photography and drawing. He has expanded his repertoire and pushed the boundaries of his visual language. By seamlessly integrating drawing into his photographic and video works, the artist has not only made a profound impact in the world of art, but also stirred powerful conversations about the intricacies of the human experience and its untapped creative potential.

And it’s not just still photography that has earned Ballen recognition and acclaim. The boundary-pushing artist has also ventured into the world of short films, with several critically acclaimed works that complement his photographic series. His collaborative film “I Fink You Freeky”, created for the cult musical duo Die Antwoord in 2012, has amassed a staggering 85 million views on YouTube.

Ballen’s work has found its home in more than forty prestigious museum collections, including the likes of Tate Britain in London, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Museum of Modern Art in New York, Musee de l’Elysee in Lausanne, and Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, among others. Reflex Amsterdam is the exclusive dealer of Ballen’s captivating Polaroids, showcasing his unique vision to audiences worldwide.

www.ftn-books.com has the invitation card for the Fotomuseum exhibition now available.

Mariken Wessels (1963, Vlaardingen) is renowned for her peculiar – now internationally acclaimed – photobooks. Her books use photographs from various personal archives as a starting point, offering a simultaneously fantastic and disturbing view of the main characters. Is it fiction or are they ego-documents? Where can the hand of the artist be seen? Which piece is actually authentic? Wessels likes to leave open which parts are from the artist and which are not.

Her books linger in the mind for days after ‘reading’. The enigmatic collages of old black and white family photos, edited portrait photos, edited contact prints, stills from Kodak 8mm films, and photos of photos. Each book is a disturbing, multi-layered, and gripping story in which Wessels is the virtuoso narrator.

www.ftn-books.com has several Wessels publications now available.

Caroline Walker’s expansive canvases and intimate panels feature nameless women in settings that blur the boundaries between public and private. Through her paintings, Walker sheds light on the mundane yet significant aspects of a woman’s life. Her diverse subjects come to life through the spaces they inhabit, each series depicting a distinct sense of time and place. From the unapologetic luxury and socioeconomic dynamics of beauty parlors in her series “Painted Ladies,” to the compassionate portrayals of refugees and asylum seekers in “Home” (commissioned by Kettle’s Yard, UK), to the architectural frame of London’s working women in “Service.”

In her latest works, Walker turns her attention to her immediate environment. She skillfully delves into the line between observer and participant, magnifying the experience of a place that has become intertwined with her life. These pieces serve as a contemplation on the concept of community and how the anonymous individuals we encounter become characters in our own stories. Her subjects range from a neighbor tending to her garden, to the local dry cleaner and a pharmacy sales assistant, all connected within a discreet area of bustling London. Through her art, Walker captures the small movements of daily existence and encapsulates the unnoticed yet essential aspects of life that are often brushed aside but hold immense significance. They also double as a self-portrait, documenting the artist’s journey through the places she frequents.

www.ftn-books.com has the KM21 invitation now available.

The idiosyncratic oeuvre of Belgian artist Walter Swennen (1946) is deeply rooted in language. From a very young age, he develops a strong sensitivity for spoken and written word. Driven by necessity, as when he was five years old, his parents decide to suddenly break with their Flemish past and switch to French. This marks the beginning of a lifelong investigation into how (visual) language transmits meanings – or conversely, obscures them.

Swennen’s paintings, often a mix of light absurdity and philosophical playfulness, are always a variation on this theme, but differ greatly in style. This is the result of the associative method he employs, which aligns his work with free jazz: he paints without a fixed direction or end goal. “My only aim is to finish the painting,” he says. “You start, and you react to what is there. People who write about painting forget that painting is usually nothing more than an agreement between the painter and the painting.”

www.ftn-books.com has several Swennen publications now available.

Impressive skeletons, independently moving in the wind: the beach animals of artist Theo Jansen (1948) regularly stroll along the coastline of The Hague. They have also been exhibited all over the world. In addition to the Animaris Omnia, which has been on display in the Garden Hall of the Kunstmuseum since 2018, ten beach animals, in chronological order of their evolution, will be featured both inside the Project Room and outside along the pond’s edge starting February 26th. Jansen: “Since 1990, I have been occupied with creating new forms of life. The building material is not protein, like in existing nature, but electricity tubes. My beach animals harness energy from the wind and therefore do not need to eat. Over time, an evolution has taken place, visible in the successive generations. This becomes evident in the presentation at the Kunstmuseum.”

www.ftn-books.com has now the invitation for his 2022 presentation at the Kunstmuseum available.

Influenced by every movement that shaped the art of the first half of the 20th century, Belgian artist Jean Brusselmans (1884 – 1953) builds his own distinctive oeuvre. A starring role in his work is given to the rolling countryside and village life of Brabant, Belgium. For the first time in a long while, this important artist will be given a full exhibition outside the borders of Belgium at the Gemeentemuseum. On display will be approximately forty paintings focusing on the 1930s and 1940s, including a number of undiscovered gems from private collections.

While his direct contemporaries, such as Rik Wouters, Constant Permeke, and Gustave De Smet, gained fame as leaders of the new avant-garde in Belgian painting after the First World War, Brusselmans remained under the radar. His stubbornness and his physical distance from the art world – he lived almost his entire life in the rural town of Dilbeek, west of Brussels – hindered his success. In the shadows – and in great poverty – Brusselmans developed his own style. It wasn’t until the 1940s that he gained tentative recognition, though his work remained relatively unknown to the general public.

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

Born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Morgan Betz resides and creates in three cities: Amsterdam, Berlin and Japan.

Betz’s artwork speaks volumes about the current state of the art world, in which many pieces lack a sense of legitimacy. In order to truly hold value, every piece must answer the question of its relevance. Mere beauty is not enough. Betz’s paintings and objects may not fit traditional notions of beauty, but that is precisely his intention. He intentionally strays from the norm to explore the possibility of creating something new from the ruins. This is where his talent for subversion shines, a quality that is all too rare in contemporary art.

But how does this subversion manifest? Betz finds inspiration in the maladjusted, the tragicomic elements of our everyday lives. It takes bravery to reject the entrenched practices of rationalization and conceptualization that have become the norm in visual culture today.

So how does his work prove its significance? One could describe it as a mosaic of images, fragments, and quotes. These different layers come together to form a new viewpoint. The creative process itself is a balancing act, a mix of spontaneity, careful construction, and a tension between intention and outcome. Betz’s aim is to arrive at a satisfying equilibrium, where the image is at peace with itself, needing no further justification and serving as an expression of pure ideas.

www.ftn-books.com has the invitation for his Gemeentemuseum Den Haag exhibition now available.

Hanny Reneman (b. 1947, Gouda) currently resides and works in Delft. After studying Art History in Leiden and completing her training at the Vrije Academie in The Hague, she established herself as an independent artist. Reflecting on her work, she states: My paintings and drawings are a reflection of the impressions and experiences I’ve gathered. I navigate between seemingly contradictory elements such as figurative and abstract. My primary inspiration is drawn from the landscape and nature. Consider me a true wanderer, for slowing down allows one to see more. That methodical and tranquil pace carries a meditative quality. I strive to uncover the structure and rhythm of the landscape in this manner. I refer to it as the grammar of the landscape. The overarching theme in both my life and work is the journey and search. The destination itself is not of great importance, it is the journey that holds significance. Painting for me is always a process of overpainting, adding and subtracting elements, an organic process of change. The overpainted areas serve as a sort of memory, sometimes barely visible yet still influencing what comes later. I blend everything together and paint.

In cooperation with KoosGijzen/ Any Art, www.ftn-books.com offers a cassette. With a painting on the outside and containing 27 etchings. All signed and numbered. For information please visit www.ftn-books.com