FTN-blog

Ballaghadereen, Ireland, 1941 – a momentous year for the birth of James Coleman. In the present day, he is based in both Dublin and Paris. Spanning back to his inaugural exhibition in the far-off year of 1970, Coleman’s pioneering practice has redefined our understanding and expectations of time-based work. His impact on artists of subsequent generations is immeasurable.

With meticulous composure, Coleman critiques the photographic image through slide, film, and video projections. He invites the viewer to explore the complexities of how an image accrues meaning, while simultaneously pondering their own role in defining the experience of photography. Despite the subtle conceptual and temporal aspects that Coleman ascribes, his works exude a sensuality and elegance that stem from his embrace of the inherent uncertainties and potential of the photographic image.

Coleman’s academic journey took him to the renowned École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, as well as the Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan, among other prestigious institutions like the Central School of Art and Design in London and the National College of Art and Design University College in Dublin. In 2006, the National University of Ireland bestowed upon him an honorary doctorate, and in 2002, he received the Kurt Schwitters Prize in Hannover, Germany, as well as the Kunstpreis München. Notably, Coleman represented Ireland at the Paris Biennial in 1973.

John Lie A Fo (Paramaribo, 1945) is a Surinamese visual artist. He paints, creates graphic work, sculpts, and draws inspiration from themes of the Surinamese jungle. Lie A Fo studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and the Free Academy in The Hague. Later, he was accepted into the BKR (Artists Regulation), allowing him to fully dedicate himself to his art. In 1979, Lie A Fo relocated to Suriname. Following the December murders, he returned to The Hague. In 1983, he moved to French Guiana. He frequently returns to The Hague to work on his craft.

www.ftn-books.com has beside some books now 2 silkscreen prnts for gallery exhibitions available.

Jan Bogaerts  was born in Den Bosch, where he learned the art of painting at the Royal School for Useful and Visual Arts from renowned artists such as Piet Slager and Antoon van Welie. Afterward, in 1899, Bogaerts continued his education at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. From 1906 to 1918, he resided and worked in Teteringen, in the portion of the former municipality that now forms part of the city of Breda. In his early years, he drew inspiration from romantic literature, which he translated into his dreamy depictions of landscapes adorned with castles and figures. This style and content can be described as symbolistic and related to the art nouveau movement of the time.

Bogaerts also sought a similar intensity in subjects from his everyday surroundings, which he illustrated with a more realistic approach. Through seemingly casual close-ups of a farmyard or a bench at the edge of a forest, he captured a beautifully serene representation in his work. During his time in Teteringen, Bogaerts also turned his attention to still life painting. Here, he found a medium that allowed him to express his ideas of stillness, depth, and intimacy with great attention to detail and endless variations.

www.ftn-books.com has the Noordbrabants Mzseum catalog now available.

Jacob Dooijewaard, born in Amsterdam in 1876 and passing away in Laren in 1969, was the son of a house and decorative painter. Growing up in the bustling city of Amsterdam, his inherent talent for drawing was recognized at a young age. At the age of nineteen, he obtained his drawing teaching certificate and began teaching to support himself. After successfully participating in various exhibitions in Amsterdam, he was able to leave his teaching job. With a five-year contract from an art dealer, he rented his own studio on the bustling Bloemgracht in Amsterdam. Like many of his contemporaries, Dooijewaard was influenced by the Impressionism of Breitner. However, he was able to develop his own unique style. Dooijewaard is best known for his time in Laren. In 1901, he settled in this town of artists, with the exception of a short period in Nunspeet and some wanderings with fellow painters through Drenthe, Brabant, and Limburg. He also took study trips to Spain (1910), Norway (1919), Southern France and the Basque Country (1920). He frequently painted with his American friends Anna and William Singer in Norway from 1923 onwards. In 1927, they held a joint exhibition in Paris at Durand-Ruel, followed by a solo exhibition at this prestigious gallery. From 1928 onwards, Dooijewaard regularly exhibited at the Frans Buffa art dealership in Amsterdam, as well as at The Milch Galleries in New York. Dooijewaard maintained a close relationship with the Singers and was instrumental in the establishment of the Singer Museum in Laren in 1953. Dooijewaard’s work is characterized by a consistently high quality. However, there are a few stylistic breaks to note: after a period clearly influenced by Breitner, he then produced works with a bright, almost pointillist palette.

www.ftn-books.com has now the scarce Stedelijk Muzseum catalog available.

Following several lessons at the Amsterdam School of Applied Arts, he established himself as a self-taught artist. He worked in various locations such as Amsterdam, the Middle East, Java in 1898, Bali in 1904, and Lombok in 1906 and 1907. Starting from 1900, the year of his marriage to Anna Wilbrink, he began building a houseboat named “De Zwerver” (The Wanderer). With this, he sailed through the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Soon, exhibitions were held on board, allowing his work to be purchased. In 1906, his design was used to build the villa “D’Eekhorst” in Lunteren, Gelderland, commissioned by his father-in-law, G.J. Wilbrink.

In 1913 and 1914, he traveled to British India. From 1917 to 1919, he journeyed to Java, Bali, and Timor, as well as other territories. In 1924-1925, he traveled to Sumatra, Java, and Bali as a result of a commission from the Amsterdam Trading Association. In 1933-1934, he visited Egypt. In 1936/1937, he made his final trip to Bali. Another trip was hindered by the outbreak of World War II. Books were written and illustrated about these travels, and many articles were published in the magazine Dutch East Indies, Old and New. His contributions also appeared in scientific journals. Much of Nieuwenkamp’s work after 1925 is linked to the Borobudur Temple in Java.

Nieuwenkamp and Anna had four children, including Willem Nieuwenkamp. As the family grew and their collection of art objects acquired during their travels expanded, he was compelled to build a house in the countryside. This was accomplished in Edam.Villa Nieuwenkamp in Fiesole.

www.ftn-books.com has the 1934 commemorative publication by the Stedelijk MUseum Amsterdam now available.

Miro admirers and collectors, know that the only affordable way to collect Miro, is by collecting the special editions for which Miro was commissioned to make a cover or special edition in a large edition size to make it still accessible for all. This way Maeght made some special publications with the artist. As for the STEDELIJK MUSEUM AMSTERDAM…they commissioned Miro to make a special cover for his catalog from 1956. This and other MIro collectable editions is now available at www.ftn-books.com

For the past five decades, Maeght Editeur has asserted its dominance as a leading art publisher. Beyond curating groundbreaking exhibitions, they have made a significant impact in the art world as publishers. One series, in particular, stands out amongst the rest – the DERRIERE LE MIROIR series, published from 1946 to 1982. This series featured numerous distinguished artists, including publications dedicated to Miro, Picasso, Braque, Calder, Bazaine, and many others. What sets this series apart is the inclusion of original lithographs in each volume. Alongside traditional illustrations, almost every volume contains at least 2 original lithographs, but in many cases, 8 to 10, some spanning over 2 pages with dimensions of 22 x 14.8 inches – a truly remarkable feat. These lithographs, although not individually numbered or signed, were affordably priced, making them accessible to the masses.

Sadly, the series ceased publication in the early 1980s. However, during its time, it provided artists with the opportunity to showcase their work for the masses. At www.ftn-books.com, a selection of these iconic titles is still available. Included are volumes featuring works by Calder, Braque, and Miro. I highly recommend these beautifully crafted books that offer a glimpse into the historic DERRIERE LE MIROIR series.

www.ftn-books.com has some great volumes from the last 5 decades by DLM

Birth: September 16, 1856; Death: February 16, 1931. Suffering from frail health in his early years, von Gloeden relocated to Taormina, Sicily, where his sister eventually joined him. From Taormina, he traversed Italy, visiting his cousin Wilhelm von Pluscrow, a commercial photographer based in Naples, who imparted his photographic knowledge. Due to financial struggles and the gift of a camera, von Gloeden embarked on his early photography career, selling postcards of Sicilian landscapes and monuments and capturing portraits of the local denizens. The villagers’ acceptance of von Gloeden’s open homosexuality was bolstered by his generosity and the royalties he bestowed upon his models, resulting in some of his images selling by the thousands. Following von Gloeden’s passing in 1931, the Italian authorities deemed his work as lurid and proceeded to obliterate an approximate three thousand glass plate negatives and prints. By the end of the Second World War, only a meager few hundred images remained.

www.ftn-books.com has some nice von Gloeden titles now available.

It was only 120 years ago that i first heard about Walter Leblanc. There was a small exhibition in a local gallery and at that time the owners predicted me that there would be a great interest in the works by Leblanc…… and they were right!….Leblanc was one of the artists related to the ZERO mouvement, but with a very personal approach to ZERO/NUL. His works were much more poetic and simplistic….a bit more like the early works by the Minimalists. But these works were completely different than most zero/nul works. These were “crafted” paintings with meticulously executed patterns made with “Twisted strings” or torsions, resulting in a composition which in many cases is  closely related to Minimal Art. But Minimal art “avant la Lettre” because these works were made some 5 years before the first Minimal Art was made by Sol LeWitt, Carl Andre and Donald Judd. Walter Leblanc sadly died in a car crash in 1986 , but his works remain. The works are now brought together in a foundation and every once in a while an exhibition is organized. The last one being a Retrospective in Brussel.