Julie Cockburn, born in 1966, is renowned for her intricate handiwork and her ability to transform ordinary and discovered items into works of art. Based in UK, Cockburn masterfully manipulates found objects and images – including ceramic sculptures, paintings, photographs, printed paper, and books – to evoke both novelty and spontaneity.
Having studied at the Central St Martins School of Art and Design and Chelsea School of Art in London, Cockburn defies the commonplace and mass-produced by infusing her personally crafted objects with significance. Her pieces, featuring childish embroidered patterns on discovered photographs and printed images, invite viewers to embark on a journey of artisanship and creation. By playing with the visual perception and consumption of objects, Cockburn’s work challenges the traditional notions of seeing, as showcased through her lighthearted exploration of materials.
“Coming Together at the Table” is the common theme of the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and the Voedingscentrum for their exhibition “Nederland dineert” and the jubilee “75 years of nutrition education in the Netherlands.” In collaboration with the Voedingscentrum, award-winning photographers Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio have captured the food consumption of three Dutch families for one week. These portraits were created specifically for the occasion and have not been shown before. For their book “Hungry Planet: What the World Eats,” Menzel and D’Aluisio traveled the world to document what people eat in a week and how much they spend on food. However, the Netherlands was absent from this list. Now, these three photographs provide a glimpse into the food habits of the Dutch families, adding a new perspective to the project.
www,ftn-books.com hahs now the invitation for this project available.
In 1961, Gaston Chaissac (1910-1964) exhibited his works at the prestigious gallery of Iris Clert in Paris. The artist is warmly embraced by all, with the CoBrA painters (who no longer form a fixed group) being the most enthusiastic and fighting for the artworks. In no time, the exhibition is sold out. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, Chaissac is unable to attend the opening and will never personally meet his admirers. However, Kunstmuseum Den Haag is now showcasing their mutual inspiration in their first-ever exhibition, CoBrA and Chaissac – Kindred Spirits.
Far from the cultural metropolis of Paris, artist Gaston Chaissac leads a reclusive existence as a self-taught individual. Yet, his expressive drawings, paintings, and sculptures, adorned with bright colors and black contours, manage to garner attention. Although he never joins an art movement, the affinity with CoBrA is evident. It stems from the post-war Zeitgeist, where artists break away from traditions and seek a modern art that is accessible to all; an art that prioritizes spontaneity, authenticity, and honesty. Their shared interest in naive and folk art, as well as the use of motifs such as snakes and totem figures, make them true kindred spirits. They decorate everything they get their hands on.
www.ftn-books.com has now several publications on Chaissac available.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Artist/ Author: Oliver Boberg
Title : Memorial
Publisher: Oliver Boberg
Measurements: Frame measures 51 x 42 cm. original C print is 35 x 25 cm.
Condition: mint
signed by Oliver Boberg in pen and numbered 14/20 from an edition of 20
