FTN-blog

Posted on 19.01.201712.02.2018 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Informele Kunst exhibition / 1983

Yes ….34 years ago i was a rookie and just had walked into the museum world and there there was this exhibition which i could not understand. An exhibition on INFORMELE KUNST in Nederland en Belgie ( dutch language) in the Schamhart wing with at the entrance an extremely large painting by Jan Cremer. At the time it was painted he asked a price for it of 1 million guilders.

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At that time a ridiculous amount of money for a work of art, but time passes and if i had known what i know on art now i would have started collecting these works which were within the exhibition. names? Schoonhoven, Leblanc, Cremer, Peeters, Armando, Verheyen, Gentils, Mortier. If only……….

A pity I did not start collecting these artists, because then the time was perfect to buy at reasonable prices. Prices started to rise from that year on and the end is not in sight. What remains is the excellent catalogue which is still available at www.ftn-books.com

Informele Kunst

Posted on 19.01.201722.12.2016 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Piet Dirkx daily ..141

dirkx 0141.jpg

Piet Dirkx cigarbox 0141

Posted on 18.01.201712.02.2018 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Matisse…..La Dance (1933)

On the location of the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, there is a basement and within that basement is one of the best kept art secrets of Paris. Open for the public, no ticket needed,……just walk down the stairs and see one of most breath taking paintings by Matisse ever.

schermafbeelding-2017-01-11-om-14-08-01 — Matisse La Dance

The 3 works form together one large mural/painting in which elements of the Dance are depicted. Size approx. 25 x 5 meters.

No crowds, because people forget to visit this space with the Palais de Chaillot, but it is very well worth visiting and i can predict you will be in the neighbourhood, because when you visit Paris and want to have the best view on the Eiffel tower, you will stand opposite it at the Palais de Chaillot, walk another 200 meters to the left and you are standing before the LA DANCE, at least as impressive as the Eiffel tower you came for.

title: La danse

year : 1933

adresse: Palais de Chaillot, 1 Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, Paris

+: Installé dans le Palais de Chaillot en 1977

Matisse

Posted on 18.01.201722.12.2016 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Piet Dirkx daily ..140

dirkx 0140.jpg

Piet Dirkx cigarbox 0140

Posted on 17.01.201712.02.2018 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Joost van den Toorn at Jacoba Wijk

Schermafbeelding 2017-01-11 om 07.52.36.png — Joost van den Toorn

Joost van den Toorn…an artist i literally stumbled upon when we visited Kasteel Het Nijenhuis. At the entrance there was at that time a small statue by van den Toorn a statue which i overlooked and did not see……..so i stumbled upon it and made half a fall. Now that i have received an invititation for the presentation at Galerie Jacoba Wijk i remembered what happened. Van den Toorn a recognizable artist who’s works have a lot of humor within them is an excellent excuse to visit the gallery in Groningen. The exhibition is until the 29th of January, but you can also find his publications in my store. www.ftn-books.com

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Posted on 16.01.201712.02.2018 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Alvar Aalto (1898-1976)… a multi talent

schermafbeelding-2017-01-11-om-13-47-44 — Alvar Aalto

First tine i ever heard of Alvar Aalto was when i bought a vase for my wife….design by Alvar Aalto. When i got further read on and got acquainted with the person Aalto i noticed that he was a tremendous architect and a great furniture designer . That is the time i started collecting the books on Aalto and in the last decades i built a great collection of books for myself. When you are such an avid collector it happens once in a while that encounter a book which you already have in your collection and these books were the first to appear in my own store at www.ftn-books.com

Alvar aalto

Alvar Aalto

( look at the similarities between the shape of the vase and the buildings)

Through the years i visited, whenever in the neighbourhood, the architectural masterpieces by Aalto in Germany, but never had the chance to go to Finland where the main part of his buildings is to be found. Maybe in the future, but in the meantime i have my Aalto books.

Alvar Aalto

So check my store when you are collecting Aalto or architectural books and maybe you can complete your collection with the ones on offer.

Posted on 15.01.201712.02.2018 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Art & Project and Conceptual Art

The best book from the last years on the fascinating world of Conceptual Art is by far the book IN & OUT of AMSTERDAM/ Travels in Conceptual Art 1960-1976. A book which i cherish , because this is a treasure trove of ideas and excellent publications which can still be found on the market(s). The book si published by MoMa where in 2009 the exhibition was held with the same name. In &Out of Amsterdam shows the most important and possibly the best works by the following artists:

Bas Jan Ader

Stanley Brouwn ( see blog)

Hanne Darboven

Jan Dibbets

Ger van Elk

Gilbert & George

Sol LeWitt ( see blog)

Charlotte Posenenske

Allen Ruppersberg

Lawrence Weiner

All excellent artist and all published within the series of Bulletins published by Art & Project.

These publications have certainly become highly collectable items, because during the time they were published and now ( some 40 years ) few have survived. So start collecting them now while they are still available. see www.ftn-books.com

Posted on 14.01.201712.02.2018 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

ZERO..the first Stedelijk Museum catalogue

If there is one iconic ZERO catalogue it is the very first ZERO catalogue published with the ZERO exhibition of 1963. SO here are the photographs which makes this very important catalogue available to all. catalogue for sale at www.ftn-books.com

Next week the second ZERO/NUL exhibition set

Posted on 13.01.201713.01.2017 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Friso Kramer (1922)

schermafbeelding-2017-01-11-om-09-16-00 — Friso Kramer

Friso Kramer was one of the founding members of Total design but before that date he was one of the leading dutch designers together with Benno Wissing and Wim Crouwel. Known for his excellent but sober designs, he was the man behind the famous REVOLT Friso Kramer chair, which is still in production until this date. Still active as a designer , he recently designed a LED streetlamp for Lightwell. A lamp which will eventually replace all the Friso Kramer designed streetlamps which were placed in the sixties and seventies.

schermafbeelding-2017-01-11-om-09-25-07 — kramer paallamp

The main part of his career he was the leading designer and director for Ahrend ,a firm which produces office furniture

Two major exhibitions were held on Friso Kramer of which one catalogue is available at www.ftn-books.com

Posted on 12.01.201712.02.2018 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Marlene Dumas…the ultimate book?

dumas grave a.jpg

Followers of this blog must know by now that i admire Marlene Dumas and whenever there is a chance i can buy her books, i will do so. I know by now, for certain that i have one of the largest inventories of her books available with many special and hard to find publications. Last week i published in my store a title which might be the very best title available on Marlene Dumas. It is the MEASURING YOUR OWN GRAVE book published by the MOCA and distributed by DAP. A large heavy book , excellent printing quality and one of the best overviews of over 30 years of her works. A highly recommended title available at www.ftn-books.com