Tag: art

Despite his untimely death at the young age of 35, Robert Smithson’s short career has served as a major source of inspiration for countless young artists, particularly among the emerging talents of the 1960s. Not only was he a prodigious artist, but also a formidable writer and critic, his interests spanning from Catholicism to mineralogy to science fiction.

While his early pieces consisted of paintings and collages, Smithson’s focus soon shifted towards sculpture as he responded to the Minimalism and Conceptualism movements of the early 1960s. This led him to extend his work beyond the confines of galleries and into the vast landscape. In 1970, he created his famous Earthwork, also known as Land art, in the form of a spiral jetty made of rocks and situated in the colorful waters of the shore of the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

However, tragedy struck in 1973 when Smithson died in an aircraft accident while surveying the site for another Earthwork project in Texas. Despite his short life, he has left an indelible mark on the art world, particularly with his groundbreaking Earthwork creations.

Between 1959 and 1962, Arman developed his signature style through two new concepts: accumulation and poubelle. The accumulation involved collecting ordinary, identical objects and encasing them in large quantities in polyester or plexiglass. The poubelle, or trash can, consisted of scattered consumer materials that Arman used to fill galleries alongside fellow artists such as Yves Klein.

In October 1960, Arman played a significant role in the formation of the Nouveau Réalisme art movement, along with Yves Klein, Daniel Spoerri, Jean Tinguely, and later César, Niki de Saint Phalle, Christo and others.

A year later, Arman made his debut in the United States, his second home. He split his time between living in New York and Nice, eventually settling in Vence in 1967.

www.ftn-books.com has some important Smithson publications available.

We are relocating!
In the coming weeks we will be occupied with packing and moving our internet store inventory. The entire collection needs to be transferred from Leidschendam to Oegstgeest, and this will take some time.
If all goes according to plan, we will be fully operational again on November 21st, but until then, it may happen that we are unable to immediately assist you with your order. We ask for your understanding, but as soon as possible, your order will be fulfilled with the utmost speed.

Christian Boltanski, a contemporary French Conceptual artist, best known for his evocative photographic installations, constantly explores themes of life, death, and memory through his practice, often delving into the complexity of the Holocaust. He deftly blurs the lines between reality and fiction, as he once remarked, “You can convey the truth more authentically through means other than the truth itself.” In his seminal piece “La traversée de la vie” (2015), Boltanski utilized the same photographs he had used in 1971 for “Album des photos de la Famille D.” However, this time, the images were enlarged, printed on fabric, and illuminated by hanging lightbulbs, inviting viewers to walk through and immerse themselves in the experience. The artist, born on September 6, 1944, in Paris, France to a father of Jewish descent, has been greatly impacted by the events of World War II, which continue to resonate throughout his work. Turning to objects as placeholders for the absence of subjects, Boltanski imbues his practice with elements of spirituality and meditation, following in the footsteps of pioneers of Conceptual art from the 1960s and 1970s, such as Joseph Beuys. His work has been acquired by prestigious institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Gallery in London, and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, cementing his place in the canon of contemporary art. Boltanski currently resides and works in Malakoff, France, continuously pushing the boundaries of enigmatic complexity and linguistic dynamism.

www.ftn-books.com has some nice Boltanski titles available.

We are relocating!
In the coming weeks we will be occupied with packing and moving our internet store inventory. The entire collection needs to be transferred from Leidschendam to Oegstgeest, and this will take some time.
If all goes according to plan, we will be fully operational again on November 21st, but until then, it may happen that we are unable to immediately assist you with your order. We ask for your understanding, but as soon as possible, your order will be fulfilled with the utmost speed.

Mastermind of satirical comics such as Mr. Natural and Fritz the Cat, Robert Crumb is the enigmatic creator.

Engaging in drawing at an early age, Robert Crumb’s talent blossomed. Together with his brother, he produced comics during his teenage years and birthed the infamous Fritz the Cat.

In 1962, Crumb relocated with his family to Cleveland and joined the American Greeting Card Company. The following year saw him tie the knot with his first wife.

Working for various clients, including the underground publication Help, Crumb’s experimentation with drugs commenced during this period. While it did result in some euphoric experiences, it also brought forth undesirable trips. Mr. Natural was conceived during one of these disturbing journeys.

1966 marked Crumb’s move to San Francisco, where he collaborated with artists such as Rick Griffin, Spain Rodriguez, and Victor Moscoso. The collaborative efforts culminated in a successful magazine, propelling Crumb into the limelight as a renowned underground illustrator.

In 1970, Crumb sold the film rights to Fritz the Cat, resulting in the release of two movies.

Tranquility in Crumb’s personal life dwindled when he divorced his first wife in 1977 and relocated to Paris. In the same year, he met and wed cartoonist Aline Kominsky, co-creating the magazine Weirdo. Soon after, Crumb returned to California.

As the mid-1980s approached, Crumb’s notoriety spanned beyond borders, making him an international cult figure. His illustrations graced the pages of magazines such as Newsweek and People, and his presence on television was frequent. The walls of New York City Art Gallery were adorned with his works, and in 1990, he held an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

In 1994, during the Haarlemse Stripdagen, the Frans Hals-museum showcased a grand exhibition dedicated to Crumb.

Robert Crumb has two brothers and two sisters. One of Crumbs’ friends, director Thierry Zwigoff, filmed a documentary featuring Robert and his two brothers.

With The Cheap Suit Serenaders, Crumb indulges in folk music.

Currently, Robert Crumb has relocated from the United States to a small village in Southern France, where he purchased a home to house six of his notepads brimming with his artistic creations.

We are relocating!
Starting today, we will be occupied with packing and moving our internet store inventory. The entire collection needs to be transferred from Leidschendam to Oegstgeest, and this will take some time.
If all goes according to plan, we will be fully operational again on November 21st, but until then, it may happen that we are unable to immediately assist you with your order. We ask for your understanding, but as soon as possible, your order will be fulfilled with the utmost speed.