Jeanne Bieruma Oosting, driven and passionate in her artistry, powerful and vulnerable as a human being – she encompassed all of that and much more. She was one of those progressive women who fought for a free and independent life at the beginning of the 20th century.
Throughout her nearly hundred-year life, Jeanne Oosting experienced virtually all 20th-century modern art styles and movements. Her work was labeled as ‘impressionistic’ or ‘expressionistic’. It was considered ‘too masculine’ or ‘typical feminine’. She succinctly described it as ‘figurative’.
For Jeanne Oosting, her work was an essential life necessity. It was everything: “My entire life and thoughts revolve around paintings. It is my breath.” She was always busy, living according to her own rules, and wasting no precious time. The phrase ‘No time to lose’ epitomized her.
During her time in Paris, she spread her wings and her career soared. Particularly with her graphic work, Jeanne Oosting gained international recognition. She set the tone for a new vision of graphic art. And she did so with flair, thanks to her experimental approach, excellent craftsmanship, and daring themes.
Jeanne Bieruma Oosting – affectionately called Biertje by her friends – deserves to be (re)discovered by many. This comprehensive exhibition takes you through her long professional and personal life, featuring artworks, photos, and personal documents. This is made possible for the first time in this form thanks to the research conducted by Jolande Withuis, biographer of Jeanne Bieruma Oosting. The exhibition was initiated by Withuis and is based on her biography ‘No Time to Lose. Jeanne Bieruma Oosting 1898-1994’ (published by De Bezige Bij).
Artist and friend Otto de Kat about Jeanne: “I know few artists who possess as much entrepreneurship, enthusiasm, and courage as Jeanne Bieruma Oosting. Some qualities, which seem contradictory, she possesses in equal measure. She is both serious and nonchalant, bold yet sensitive, fantastic and commonplace. She loves reality but does not forget dreams.”
www.ftn-books.com has several Bieruma Oosting titles available,
